It may seem farfetched to think that a poor night’s sleep can increase your chance of developing a life-threatening chronic disease, but the connection between sleep apnea and diabetes is real. Here’s what you need to know.

What is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is a type of sleep-disordered breathing that affects an estimated 25 million people in the U.S. There are three types of sleep apnea.

  1. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): Muscles and tissues in the throat relax when sleep, blocking the airway
  2. Central sleep apnea (CSA): The nervous systems “forgets” to reflexively breathe
  3. Complex sleep apnea: A dangerous combination of both OSA and CSA

Sleepers with any of these types may experience excessive fatigue and drowsiness. They may wake up with headaches and feel sluggish all day. Those with sleep apnea may also experience lack of sexual drive and irritability.

These symptoms and complications can lead to long-term, serious illness. This includes diabetes.

Why does sleep apnea cause diabetes?

Diabetes is a condition where the body’s ability to produce or respond to insulin is impaired. This results in elevated glucose levels and an abnormal reaction to carbohydrates.

Type 1 diabetes is an inherent condition, present from birth, but Type 2 diabetes develops over time. Type 2 diabetes used to be referred to as “adult onset diabetes” but increasing numbers of younger people prompted the name change.

So what’s the sleep apnea and diabetes connection?

1. Weight gain

The main hormones that regulate two major controls for eating – appetite and satiation – are affected dramatically by sleep apnea. Leptin, produced by fat tissues in the body, sends signals to the brain when the body has had enough to eat. In sleep apnea sufferers, the body suppresses the production of leptin, bringing about the potential for overeating.

Ghrelin comes into play as well. This hormone stimulates the appetite and increases during the night in obese patients. Combined, leptin and ghrelin are crucial when it comes to regulating potential weight gain. Both of these hormones that control your rate of weight loss and weight are changed by sleep apnea.

2. Obesity

Sleep apnea and diabetes share a primary risk factor: obesity.

The majority of obese patients also suffer from sleep apnea and are at increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. In patients who are already obese but do not have diabetes, sleep apnea leads to weight gain, which can increase the odds of Type 2 diabetes development.

3. Glucose intolerance and insulin resistance

These metabolic risk factors are increased in those with sleep apnea.

Glucose intolerance and insulin resistance are the markers of a diabetes diagnosis and are also present in higher numbers in those with cardiovascular issues.

4. Abnormal breathing

Remember leptin, the appetite-controlling hormone? It’s also responsible for regulation of breathing control.

In patients with obesity and sleep apnea, this can result in abnormal breathing patterns.

5. Diabetic complications

Potentially due to fluctuations in both blood pressure and blood glucose levels, diabetic patients with sleep apnea seem to experience heightened progression of diabetic retinopathy. This can lead to blindness, just one of the many complications of diabetes.

It’s important to remember that the relationship between diabetes and sleep apnea is bidirectional. That means that it is challenging to pinpoint which comes first. Both have similar risk factors, and each increases the severity of the other. While sleep apnea can trigger stress hormones that affect blood glucose levels, diabetes has been shown to triggered sleep-disordered breathing as well.

In some patients, the neurological damage caused by diabetic autonomic neuropathy (a disease of the autonomic nervous system) can trigger central sleep apnea (or complex sleep apnea when obstructive sleep apnea is already present).

How can treating sleep apnea help me manage my sleep apnea?

It’s encouraging to note that treating one condition can actually lead to profound reduction in the other, and some treatments are excellent for both.

Treatment for sleep apnea and diabetes (and sleep apnea and prediabetes) starts with a holistic management of symptoms as well as treating the underlying causes of both conditions.

Weight loss and lifestyle changes

If the primary risk factor for you for both sleep apnea and insulin resistance is obesity, the first step is to embark on a committed weight loss journey.

In some cases, dramatic weight loss completely eliminates both sleep apnea and diabetes. Getting to and maintaining a healthy weight can literally change your life, treating both conditions (and many others) at once.

If your sleep apnea and diabetes is unresolved by weight loss, there are other lifestyle changes to focus on for both. These include:

  • Quitting smoking
  • Limiting or eliminating alcohol consumption
  • Participating in regular exercise
  • Limiting or eliminating prescription pain medications (under a doctor’s supervision)

These changes can also help restore overall health to your body.

Sleep management

Treating sleep apnea starts by working towards a good night of sleep. Sleep is an incredible healer. Make sure you work towards adequate sleep, as sleep deprivation and diabetes are also connected.

Practice good sleep hygiene by keeping your bedroom cool, eliminating clutter, and reserving your bed for intimacy and sleep only. Turn off all screens at least one hour before bed, and try to go to sleep and wake at the same time every day.

Sleep apnea treatments

Finally, if you’re suffering from more advanced forms of sleep apnea, there are treatments that can help. Specific treatments for sleep apnea include:

These treatments, when combined with holistic lifestyle changes designed to improve your overall health, may not only be able to improve your sleep but also reverse or slow the progression of your Type 2 diabetes.

Still need information on the connection between sleep and diabetes? AZ Dentist is your sleep apnea dentist with offices in Phoenix and all over the Valley. Get in touch today!

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