It is estimated that 38-45% of patients with type 2 diabetes suffer from sleep disorders.In fact, the probability of diabetes is twice in those people who usually sleep less than 6 hours.
That is, suffering diabetes predisposes to suffering sleep disorders, but in turn, sleeping little also predisposes to diabetes.In fact, in young and previously healthy people the restriction of sleep 4 hours per day over 6 days is enough to reduce the glucose tolerance curve and produce a hyperglycemic state.
Why does this happen?Sleeping the levels of cortisol and growth hormone, and in fact, both hormones antagonize the effects of insulin.In addition, people who sleep little have higher levels of substances such as TNF-Alpha, Interleuquina-6, and C-Reactive protein, substances all of them that increase insulin resistance.
Sleep decreases leptin secretion.This hormone, also called the satiety hormone, favors that people who sleep have little propensity to obesity.
In sum, lack of sleep increases the propensity to suffering diabetes.Also, for people who already suffer from diabetes, sleep is little worse the prognosis of the disease.
The dream consists of 5 stages;REM, and phases 1, 2, 3 and 4. Phases 3 and 4, known as “slow or deep sleep”, are considered the most repairing and directly related to metabolic and hormonal changes.In these phases insulin levels are regulated, since at this time the brain uses less glucose, the less corticosteroid secret pituitary gland, nerve and muscular activity is less active, so energy requirements decrease.As a result, the organism needs less energy and glucose metabolism decreases.The opposite happens during the first phases of sleep (phases 1 and 2), and ReM phase, in which there is more nervous activity and more energy requirements.
Thus, sleeping well helps the pancreas to regulate the insulin levels in blood and it is very important that the quality of the sleep is good every night.People who suffer from type 2 diabetes mellitus (DMT2) do not have a good sleep quality and suffer continuous awakenings.To avoid this situation, it is important to acquire good habits and have good hygiene when sleeping.
But it is also true that people who have diabetes are more likely to suffer from sleep disorder, such as:
-Dellive apnea syndrome: consists of severe nightly snoring accompanied by respiratory pauses.They are usually obese people who during the day have difficulty staying awake.
-Reette legs syndrome: they are annoying sensations (often, feeling of restlessness) that are produced in the legs at night, provided that the affected person tries to remain at rest.
-Sabetic neuropathy: it is an injury to the peripheral nerves of the legs and arms that occurs specifically in diabetes.Initially it is only detected through specific tests and exams, but as progress, it can go associated with punctures, anthill, cramps and lack of strength and can alter sleep.
In the Sleep Research Institute, in Madrid, we are conducting a study on sleep in people with diabetes-type 2, particularly those who suffer from neuropathy, and how the treatment in sleep and diabetes influences.Those interested in obtaining more information can contact us.
