Sleep and Glucose Mythbusters

Need Sleep?

The body relies on habitual sleep patterns in order to regulate and repair itself. Everyone, including Diabetics, has a circadian rhythm, or body clock, that helps to regulate sleep. This body clock is responsible for making people tired between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. A healthy person sleeps for about seven to eight hours after falling asleep each night.

Sleeping in on the weekends does not negate the negative effects of sleeping too little during the week - it just throws off the body clock and can actually do more damage by making sleep patterns irregular.

As with many things, Diabetics need to pay attention to their health habits, like getting the proper amount of sleep each night.

While it is true that people that get a full eight hours of sleep each night can lose more weight than people that deprive themselves of sleep, sleeping more does not help you lose weight.

According to a study of the connection between sleep and Diabetes management that was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, sleeping more than nine hours a night can have the same detrimental effects on the body as sleeping for fewer than seven hours a night.

However, sleeping seven to eight hours can help to regulate your glucose levels and digestive processes. Instead of sleeping to lose weight - Exercisel

Many people get into the habit of napping for half an hour each afternoon. Many doctors believe that when people are healthy and are getting the proper amount of sleep, they will actually require a nap in order to reinvigorate their systems.

If you feel tired around 1:00 p.m., it may not necessarily be a sign that you have slept too little; it could be a sign that your body clock is actually working properly. Of course, you may also want to check your blood glucose level around this time if you are not accustomed to napping and are beginning to feel tired.