Sleep Better, Control Your Blood Sugar

Treating sleep apnea can help control type 2 diabetes

If you snore loudly, awaken during the night and feel sleepy throughout the day, you could have a condition that could cause your blood sugar to rise. The culprit: a disorder called sleep apnea.

The condition occurs when soft tissue in the back of your throat closes during sleep, cutting off your airflow. “You partially awaken to re-start your breathing, so you never get enough deep sleep,” says Richard Strobel, M.D., Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network pulmonologist and sleep disorders specialist. “Your body releases stress hormones into your bloodstream and that may cause your blood sugar to rise.”

New research shows that treating sleep apnea may help control type 2 diabetes. “Studies show regulation of blood-sugar levels improve by using the “gold standard” treatment—CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure),” Strobel says. “You wear a CPAP mask while you sleep. The mask blows air into your airway to keep it open, allowing you to breathe continuously throughout the night.”

Discuss your sleep patterns with your doctor, even if he doesn’t ask you. “CPAP may not only help better regulate your blood sugar,” Strobel says, “it will also help you get the deep, restful sleep you need.”

This page last updated 2/12/08 04:08 PM