15. The Connection to Type 2 Diabetes: More Than Just Sugar
Many find it surprising that a sleep disorder can relate to blood sugar. But make no mistake: sleep apnea and type 2 diabetes often go hand in hand, influencing each other in unexpected ways.
Insulin resistance, a key factor in type 2 diabetes, appears to worsen with poor sleep quality. This isn’t just a trivial correlation. Poor sleep affects the body’s ability to utilize insulin, adding fuel to the diabetic fire.
Sleep deprivation, a common side-effect of sleep apnea, also wreaks havoc on your hormones. It messes with your leptin and ghrelin levels, which regulate appetite. This disruption can lead to weight gain, a risk factor for both sleep apnea and type 2 diabetes.
In the realm of diabetes management, poor sleep is often the elephant in the room. Fluctuating blood sugar levels at night can worsen sleep quality, which in turn can exacerbate sleep apnea symptoms. It’s a vicious cycle that can make managing diabetes more complicated.(15)
