Evidence has shown that’s there’s a link between sleep-deprivation and diabetes. Among diabetes patients, high blood sugar can be associated with lack of sleep. Studies also have shown that when you are sleep-deprived, the risk of getting diabetes also increases.
The obvious answer would be to get more sleep. You should meet the required number of hours. However, the reality is always different. Sleep doesn’t come easy for some especially for people with diabetes. One of the probable effects of diabetes is having difficulty in sleeping.
So what to do in this situation? You should try to improve your sleeping conditions to sleep easier, to stay asleep longer. How to do that? Here are some following tips you can follow to sleep better:
Get a better bed if you need to
What’s the present of condition of your bed? If your mattress is old, do consider replacing soon. Old mattresses pose a lot of problems. First issue is hygiene. It may currently be the breeding ground of dust mites and some sorts of bugs which could also cause allergies.
Another reason why you should replace your old mattress? It may no longer have the same firmness as before. Why is that important? It’s because your mattress may sag in areas your body needs support. This can cause body pains and you will have a harder time staying asleep.
If you find it difficult to replace your mattress, because the truth is, they are so bulky to transport – you can buy a mattress in a box. You can even buy mattresses online for less hassle. Bottom line, just replace the old bed to get better sleep. You can start by checking out online mattress review sites and you’ll get a lot of insight into which mattress is best for your needs. Here is a good example of an in-depth review of the Saatva mattress – one of the most popular mattresses for those with allergies.
This goes for your pillows also. They should still have the right firmness, not hurt your neck, and of course – not be old as well. Replace them frequently also.
Avoid screen time before sleeping
A lot of us are guilty of this. We turn down the lights, tuck ourselves into our bed, and we reach for our gadgets. Have you noticed how a few minutes of screen time can actually turn into hours?
Before you know it, it’s already way past midnight. You realize you are fully awake, your brain is fully stimulated, and you go on scrolling hoping your electronic device can lull you to sleep.
Do you also know that the blue light that your electronic devices emit is bad for you? The blue light suppresses the release of the hormone melatonin. This hormone is a key factor in regulating our sleep. The more blue light you are exposed to, the less melatonin you have and the harder it is for you to sleep.
Technology is addictive. We are not dismissing its positive contributions to society though. In fact, you are probably reading this article right from your screen – thanks to the advent of technology.
However, too much of anything is a bad thing. Regulate your electronic device usage. It’s not an effective way to make you sleep – it does the opposite. Stop the habit of checking your gadget before you sleep.
Conclusion
Lack of sleep can bring out a lot of health problems, including high sugar level and increasing the possibility of developing diabetes. You can change your bed to get better quality sleep and limit your screen time before you get some shut eye. It’s understandably difficult for some people to sleep but following these two tips can help improve your sleeping conditions.