Search the Community

Alcohol is the most common type of sleep aid. But drinking alcohol regularly can interfere with your sleeping pattern. It may affect sleep quality, too. Does this mean that you need to give up alcohol altogether? No. You simply need to be smarter about how you manage your liquor consumption, instead. Caption: How to sleep better after drinking alcohol Source: Pexels There are several strategies that you can use to ensure better sleep after drinking alcohol. Avoid Caffeine If you want to sleep better after having a drink, stay away from caffeine. This does not only refer to coffee. You must refrain from consuming other caffeinated drinks like sodas, teas, and energy drinks. They will keep you awake at night. If you combine that with the effect of alcohol in your body, it will be hard to enjoy a restful night. If a night of drinking is on the horizon, no worries. Whether you are out with friends or enjoying the game with any of these great tasting beers, you should be smart. Make sure you avoid having any caffeinated drinks, especially during the hours close to when you plan to hit the sack. Have a Balanced Meal Drinking your favorite beer or wine on a full belly can reduce the impact of alcohol on your sleep (versus not having a full meal). When you are going out for a drink or sipping some spirits at home, don’t skip dinner. A solid and balanced meal can regulate your body’s absorption of the alcohol. Make sure you have enough protein, fat, and carbohydrates. This will allow the alcohol to be gradually introduced to your bloodstream, reducing its overall impact on your body. The less disruption your body has, the better your sleep will be. Drink Plenty of Water Alcoholic drinks, like beer, can make you dehydrated. When your body is dehydrated, you not only toss and turn during your sleep, you can also suffer from a headache the next morning. So keep yourself hydrated. Drinking plenty of water can combat the diuretic effect of alcohol on your body. Tips for better sleep after drinking alcohol Source: Pexels The goal is to drink as much water as the alcohol you consume. When it is not possible, just try to drink as much water as possible. This will help keep your body hydrated. Another benefit to drinking plenty of water is that it fills you up quickly. As a result, you don’t consume as much alcohol as you normally would. Say No to Smoking Aside from staying away from the bad combination of alcohol and caffeine, smoking should be avoided too. A lot of people like to drink and smoke at the same time. If you are one of them, don’t be surprised if you have trouble sleeping at night. Nicotine (found in cigarettes) is a stimulant. If you smoke, it can definitely keep you awake at night. By reducing the number of cigarettes you smoke (or by not smoking at all), you will be able to sleep faster. This can also improve the quality of your sleep. Turn Off the Alarm If you have an alarm set on the regular, turn it off just before hitting the bed. Give your body a chance to recover from the effects of alcohol during your sleep. Do not disrupt that sleeping cycle with an alarm going off. If possible, keep your phone away from your bed, too. You would not want to be woken up by a text message or call. After all, you are going to be highly sensitive to any noise so you want to minimize any disruptions as much as possible. Stay off Alcohol Before Hitting the Bed A lot of people have relied on alcoholic drinks such as beer or wine to help them get to sleep. But studies have shown that this is actually doing the opposite. It is time to change your habit of getting a drink right before you hit the bed. This habit of yours can make you feel more awake and energetic, instead, which can then cause a disruption in your sleep cycle. It is best to get started early on your alcohol consumption – this is called the ‘happy hour’. Do not wait until much later in the night when you are just about to go to bed to get your drink. You are more likely to sleep faster and more soundly when you have had your drink a few hours earlier. Make Your Bedroom Cozy Sleep better even with alcohol Source: Pexels This might seem like a simple step but it can be very effective if you want to fall asleep faster. A cozy bedroom is one that is dim and has a comfortable temperature that will help you doze off. Darker colors on the bedroom wall are also suitable for sleeping. If you are not into dark wall colors, neutral hues can create a relaxing atmosphere in the bedroom. Ideally, your bedroom should be somewhere that is far from any sources of noise (such as the living room or a noisy street). The less disruptive noises there are, the sooner you can sleep. The quality of your sleep will be better, too. Setting the ideal temperature within your room can also make sleeping easier. Aim for a temperature range of 60-68 degrees Fahrenheit. Switching to new bedding such as microfiber sheets can improve the quality of your sleep as well. The goal is to make your sleeping space as cozy as possible. Final Reminders Heavy drinking is associated with sleep disorders. If you want to reduce the impact of alcohol on your sleep, you might want to lower your consumption. Instead of drinking as a regular nightcap, you can skip some nights. If you can, limit alcohol consumption to 2-3 times a week. Follow a pattern that works for you to improve your sleep quality. It is always a good practice to keep things in moderation.

You know exercise burns calories, so it affects weight management and it’s important for heart health, too, but what about sleep? Does exercising impact your sleep schedule, as well? Put simply, yes, if you have trouble closing your eyes and drifting off or staying asleep all night long, it may be because you are not active enough. Before you reach for a bottle of pills to treat your chronic insomnia, consider how exercise and other smart, healthy habits will improve your sleep naturally. Sleep and Exercise: What’s the Connection? If you do have poor sleep habits, you are not alone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists insufficient sleep as a major public health issue in this country. A 2009 analysis conducted by the CDC found that about 48 percent of the study participants stated they got less than seven hours of sleep each day. More importantly, 37 percent claimed to fall asleep during the day hours, which might explain the over 1,500 fatalities each year associated with driving while drowsy. Sleep hygiene is defined as behavior designed to promote quality sleep, including certain lifestyle choices like regular exercise. Lack of exercise may be at the heart of many sleep disorders, according to researchers at Northwestern University. They conducted a study to measure the effect exercise has on sleep habits in middle-aged to older adults who were less active than recommended. The scientists broke them up into two exercise groups: One did two 20-minute workout sessions four times a week One did 30 to 40-minutes of exercise four times a week Both groups strived to reach 75 percent of the maximum heart rate in at least two activities. A third control group was established, as well. These participants didn’t exercise at all but instead exerted themselves mentally. The active groups slept better and reported less depression and daytime sleepiness. How Exercise Affects Sleep Sleep isn’t just about how long you are in bed each night. Sleep quality is actually broken down into multiple categories: Duration – How much a person sleeps in 24-hours Sleep continuity – How fast a person falls asleep Timing – When a person goes to sleep in each 24-hour period Alertness – During the waking hours Satisfaction – How well a person sleeps Depth – This refers to sleep stages and brain activity Exercise works to improve the quality of your sleep by providing better sleep continuity and enhanced satisfaction. Better sleep automatically improves timing, because sleep habits become more consistent, as well. Vigorous vs. Moderate Exercise In a survey conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, respondents indicated: Up to 67 percent slept better with exercise 26 percent found vigorous exercise offered the most benefit 66 percent of those who do exercise vigorously stated they get all the sleep they need to feel good compared to 55 percent who only exercised moderately or lightly 50 percent of the vigorous exercisers stated they were able to maintain momentum better during the day as a result of quality sleep The truth is all exercise helps, but the more intense the better you sleep. Exercises Worth Doing Before Bed Effective exercisers develop routines that might include doing specific exercises right before bed to further enhance sleep quality. Few types of exercises say relax and go to sleep like yoga. The right poses are enough to ease your mind and body in preparation for sleep. Consider some moves that help promote sleep and mental relaxation. Upside-Down Pose Lie on your back and slide your bottom up next to a wall, leaving about six inches of space between your skin and the surface. Extend your legs so they rest flat on the wall while spreading your arms to the side. Maintain this pose for up to two minutes, slowly inhaling and exhaling to promote relaxation. Twist Sit with your legs crossed in front of you. Place one hand on the opposite knee while twisting at the waist until you feel the core muscles engage. Hold as you breathe in deeply and then exhale. Reset to center and repeat the exercise twisting to the other side. Do this for up to three minutes. The Child’s Pose Get into a table pose with your shoulders over your hands and your hips over your knees. Push back until your bottom is resting on your feet and your hands are stretched overhead. Your face is facing the floor. Hold this position for up to five minutes playing close attention to your breathing. Rock-a-Bye Pose Roll over to your back and pull your knees towards your chest, crossing your ankles. Place your hands just above your crossed ankles and pull your knees in further and hold the pose for up to 7 minutes. Any one of these exercises alone or in combination will improve your quality of sleep by relaxing your body and calming your mind. Avoid intense cardio exercises before bed unless that’s what you are used to and it works for you. For most people, a heavy workout disrupts circadian rhythms. Save your jogging for mornings or early in the evening instead and just do stretches close to bedtime. 5 Easy Fixes the Go Beyond Exercise Exercise is a critical part of any healthy lifestyle and certainly will work to improve your sleep quality, but it is just one step in developing good sleep habits. Other things you’ll want to do include: Go to bed at the same time each night – This includes weekends or your regular days off. The more consistent you are, the easier it will be to fall asleep. Get up at the same time each day – The flip side of the consistency coin is wake up times. If you get up for work each day at 8:00, keep that going even on your days off. This will make it easier to maintain that stable bedtime. Choose bedtime snacks wisely – Avoid going to bed with either a full or hungry stomach. When choosing a bedtime snack, avoid things that contain caffeine like soda or chocolate. Limited what you drink an hour before bed, too, to keep from waking up to go to the bathroom. Create a Ritual at Bedtime – In other words, do the exact same thing each night. If you shower at night than always shower at night, for example, but whatever you do, do it consistently. This will send a message to your brain that it is time to prepare to sleep. Make Sure the Bed Comfortable – If you are having trouble getting comfortable at night, figure out why. Is it the mattress? How about the pillows? Do whatever is necessary to make that space as sleep inducing as possible. While regular exercise is just part of the sleep puzzle, it’s an important one. Develop a fitness schedule and stick to it to get a better night’s sleep.

Do you have trouble falling asleep or often wake up in the middle of the night? Or do you often feel drained and exhausted in the morning instead of rested and refreshed? You are not alone. Millions of people across the world have sleep problems. Everyone needs good sleep, and deep sleep is even more important as it affects your health and body. When you get the adequate amount of deep sleep, you will wake up refreshed and with restored stamina, making you ready for anything the day throws at you. What is Deep Sleep? So what is deep sleep? Well, the simplest answer is that it is one of the stages in the sleeping process. This stage is also known as slow wave sleep, delta sleep and more recently, N3. Deep sleep is a time when repairs take place within the body and energy is restored for the day ahead. This stage of sleep plays an important role in maintaining your health as it boosts the immune system, stimulates growth and repairs any damage to tissue and muscles. Deep sleep also has a number of benefits, including: It can help in keeping your heart healthy. During deep sleep, your heartbeat slows down and gives your heart the opportunity to repair itself. Lack of deep sleep can trigger the production of cortisol and adrenaline which increases blood pressure. Deep sleep allows your body to rest and slows down your heartbeat, thereby lowering blood pressure. During deep sleep, the brain repairs itself and the body produces hormones as well as neurotransmitters that help in promoting new brain cell production. This brain repair prevents different mental disorders. By maintaining healthy brain function, deep sleep can significantly help in preventing memory loss and disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. When you are in the deep sleep stage, the protein inside your body repairs damage caused by free radicals, microorganisms and other factors like harmful substances and toxins. Apart from this, deep sleep helps in improving digestion, preventing diabetes, fighting inflammation, alleviating stress and anxiety, preventing obesity, promoting healthy weight, restoring energy, enhancing immunity and more. Tips to Get Deep Sleep If you have trouble sleeping and want to get deep sleep, here are a few tips that you might find helpful: Disconnect Yourself: Many people have trouble sleeping because of work. You should disconnect yourself and relax a few hours before bedtime. Switch off your smartphone and other devices after 8 pm. It will provide great results. Listen to Soothing Music: Listening to soothing soft music before hitting the sack can do wonders to help you get deep sleep. It will reduce stress and anxiety and lower your blood pressure. Breathe Deeply: Deep breathing exercises and meditation helps to relieve stress and improve sleep quality. Find out a few breathing exercises and try them out before you get into bed. You can try this exercise – first, close your eyes and slowly inhale through your nostrils to count to 3 while expanding your stomach. Hold for 3 seconds and then slowly exhale through your mouth, while counting to 6 and keeping your stomach flat. Repeat 5 times. Pick a Good Pillow: You should never underestimate the importance of having a good pillow to lay your head on. The right pillow can have a significant effect on your quality of sleep. Use a medium-soft pillow if you are a side sleeper, and a firm pillow if you prefer sleeping on your back. Reduce Light Level: When you reduce the level of light that you are exposed to in the evening, it can encourage the production of the sleep hormone, melatonin and ease your body into sleep mode. So, if possible, get a dimmer switch and turn down your lights in the evening. Drink Milk or Eat a Banana: Bananas are an excellent source of melatonin and tryptophan, an amino acid. Warm milk is also quite rich in tryptophan. If you have problems getting good sleep, you should eat a banana or drink a glass of warm milk before bedtime – make this a pre-bedtime routine. As you can see, deep sleep plays a critical role in your health and well-being. You need to get deep sleep in order to be able to function the next day properly. Without it, you will be easily tired, and you will definitely experience a dip in your productivity. To make sure that you get deep, restful sleep every night, try out the tips mentioned above.

We spend a lot of time with our smartphones, and it may be affecting our quality of sleep each night. Alongside smartphone usage, sleep deprivation rates have been skyrocketing in recent years. This is likely due in part to the fact that at least 95 percent of people use some sort of electronic device before bed. Here are just a few of the ways that modern technology is making an impact on how we sleep. Screens Disrupt Your Bedtime Routine It can be tempting to wind down before bed with a quick session on your smartphone, but games, social media, and more can end up disrupting your sleep schedule. Engaging your brain right before bed, especially if you’re excited or emotional, can end up triggering hormonal responses that will keep you feeling awake and alert. Sounds from your phone can also disrupt a full night’s sleep. Calls, texts, and social media notifications can pull you out of deep sleep cycles that are critical to body repair and maintenance. Even if you don’t awaken completely, this can still affect your REM and non-REM sleep patterns and leave you feeling exhausted the next day. Still, around one-fifth of all adults keep their ringer on throughout the night. Using screens in bed, whether you’re texting on your phone or watching a late-night movie, can trigger a learned association that the bed is a place for work, play, and socializing instead of sleep. You should keep your daytime activities confined to a couch or desk, and reserve the bedroom for sleep only. This will help strengthen the association between bed and bedtime in your head, making it easier to fall asleep at night. The Impact on a Kid’s Sleep Schedule It isn’t just adults that are losing sleep thanks to modern technology. Kids are also susceptible to insomnia related to using electronic devices before bed. Even just the presence of a screen in a child’s room has been shown to affect sleep patterns. While TV tends to be the main culprit for most young children, more and more kids are also being kept up by using smartphones in the late hours. The Impact on Teen’s Sleep Schedule Screen-related sleep deprivation is a particular problem amongst today’s teens. Teenagers tend to need more sleep than other age groups to function, and many of them already have trouble with insomnia. Only around 15% of teens are getting the full eight-and-a-half hours of sleep that they should be getting each night. Throwing smartphones into the mix can lead to some severely sleep-deprived teens struggling to concentrate in school throughout the day. Over three-quarters of teenagers admit to using their smartphones without their parents’ knowledge when they’re supposed to be sleeping. Blue Light Suppresses Melatonin Photo by Youssef Sarhan Smartphones, laptops, and other electronic devices with screens tend to emit blue light, which is one of the shortest and brightest wavelengths on the visible spectrum. When it hits our eye, it mimics sunlight, convincing our body that it’s daytime out. Spending time at night staring into a blue screen scrambles up your circadian rhythm, which is the internal clock that determines your sleep-wake cycle. It does this using melatonin, a hormone produced by the pineal gland. Melatonin levels are lowest during the day, rising as it begins to get darker outside and peaking during midnight. Blue light restricts or shuts down melatonin production, preventing us from falling asleep. Staring at a computer or smartphone almost acts as a “reset” button at night, convincing your brain that it needs to be awake and alert. Staying Plugged in Increases Anxiety It’s no secret that anxiety makes it harder to sleep. It can be tough to settle down and relax after a stressful day at home or the office. Smartphones can compound on this stress, whether you’re watching an intense movie, playing an exciting game, or responding to emails. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, your body responds physically by releasing cortisol into the bloodstream. At the same time, you also essentially shut down melatonin production. While this “fight or flight” response used to come in handy back when we had to flee from predators, these days, it mostly serves as an inconvenience that makes it difficult to relax and nearly impossible to sleep. For some people, simply spending time away from their phone can cause separation anxiety or even withdrawal-like symptoms. This can make it difficult to fall asleep at night, especially for those who feel compelled to keep checking their phone. Like any addiction, excessive smartphone use can quickly chip away at your quality of life. The Impact of Insomnia on Health Photo by Charles Deluvio A good night’s sleep is essential for both your mental and physical health. Insufficient sleep has been linked to a number of different health conditions in adults, including: Memory Impairments: Sleep gives your body a chance to consolidate and connect information learned throughout the day, affecting both short-term and long-term memory. Trouble Concentrating: In addition to impairing memory, sleep deprivation also makes it difficult to focus and can make activities such as driving or operating machinery more dangerous. Depression and Anxiety: Without enough sleep, you may experience fluctuations in mood. Chronic insomnia can lead to more severe symptoms of depression and anxiety. A Weakened Immune System: Sleep is vital for maintaining a healthy immune system. Without it, you’re more susceptible to catching germs and bugs. High Blood Pressure: People who sleep between just five and six hours a night have an increased risk of developing high blood pressure. This also increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Obesity: Insomnia can affect levels of the hormones ghrelin and leptin, which are involved in telling your body that it’s full. This can lead to overeating and weight gain. Type II Diabetes: In addition to encouraging weight gain, a lack of sleep can also affect insulin levels and increase your risk of developing diabetes. The health effects of a poor sleep schedule can be even more drastic for developing minds and bodies. Both children and teenagers who don’t get enough sleep each night can suffer from issues such as: Poor School Performance: Sleep deprivation makes it difficult to process and retain information for school-aged children, resulting in lower grades. Lethargy: Part of being a kid is getting outside and running around, but this can be tough for a sleep-deprived body. Tired kids have trouble engaging with others during playtime, recess, and sports games. Social Isolation: Without a full night’s sleep, it can be hard to pay attention and hold a conversation. This makes it a challenge to make friends in school. Mood Swings: Most parents know that kids can be moody at the best of times, but things can get out of hand after a few nights of insufficient sleep. Insomnia can lead to sad, angry, or even hyperactive children. Bad decisions: A lack of sleep, much like alcohol, can affect impulse control, especially in teenagers. This can result in reckless decision-making and potentially long-lasting consequences. What to Do About Sleep Loss If you find that your smartphone is affecting your sleep schedule, it might be time to make some changes. After all, a better night’s sleep will help you to start your day feeling fresh. Luckily, there are several ways that you can change your smartphone habits to improve your sleep schedule. Dim the Screen at Night When using your phone after dark, you should turn down the brightness setting. Doing so will help your eyes to adjust and get your brain in “nighttime mode,” ensuring that you’ll be able to fall asleep easier later. If you’re reading, try reversing the typesetting to white text on a black background. Limit Screen Time Photo by Bailey Torres It can be easy to get lost in your phone before bedtime, and so you should take steps to ensure that you’re not staring at screens for too long each night. Try to limit your screen time after the sun goes down, including your smartphone, your TV, and your computer. Instead, try reading a book or taking a bath. Cut Back on Social Media For many of us, social media consumes a large portion of our day. Taking selfies, making updates, and responding to friends and followers can have us spending hours at a time staring at our phones. If you’re trying to cut back on your smartphone usage, one of your first steps should be to reduce your social media presence. Doing this will not only help you to limit screen time but also reduce your stress levels. Avoid Your Phone Before Bed It’s a good idea to cut yourself off from screen time at least thirty to sixty minutes before you plan to go to bed. If possible, you should remove electronics from your room entirely when you sleep and silence phone notifications. Set an Example Parents can help their kids to avoid screens before bed by setting a good example themselves. Technology curfews should be enforced family-wide. Instead of letting the kids watch TV before bed, try reading to them or playing a family board game to wind down in the evening. Solutions to Look Forward To The latest models of phones, computers, and other mobile devices offer features that are designed to address the issue of sleep deprivation. Smartphone makers are heavily invested in finding new and innovative ways to make sure that their products won’t have a negative impact on a user’s lifestyle. There are several new and upcoming technologies that are helping to tackle to issue of insomnia amongst smartphone owners. Sleep Analysis Mobile devices are making it easier than ever to keep an eye on your health. In addition to fitness and nutrition apps, sleep tracker apps help you to maintain a balanced lifestyle. Photo by Crew Smartphone apps link up to wearable devices via the cloud and monitor things such as heart rate and breathing pattern while you sleep. Over time, this data can show you issues that you might be having falling or staying asleep, helping you to take the first step towards healthier sleeping habits. Personalized Scheduling Mobile apps are also helping people to reorganize their sleep schedule. Advanced algorithms can help you to determine the best time of day to go to bed based on daylight hours and your unique circadian rhythm. This can make it easier to adapt to changes in your schedule, such as flying to a new time zone or working odd hours. Alternative Backlighting Because blue light disrupts melatonin production and inhibits sleep, many electronics manufacturers are looking for ways to selectively eliminate blue wavelengths from screens. That way, users can adjust settings at night to avoid tricking their brain. More and more devices are including a “night mode” where the screen shifts from a cool blue to a warmer red or yellow light. According to a study done by researchers at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, orange tones that block out blue wavelengths are less likely to keep you up at night. It’s best to switch to night mode shortly after sundown to reduce strain on your eyes. If you have an older device that doesn’t offer a nighttime backlight setting, there are apps for mobile devices and laptops that are designed to reduce blue light wavelengths. You can also find free software programs such as f.lux. If these apps don’t do the trick, specialized screen protectors may be a better option. Less Screen Time Leads to Better Sleep Photo by bruce mars Spending time on your smartphone, especially before bed, can have a significant impact on your quality of sleep. It makes it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep, which can make your performance at home or work suffer. Sleep deprivation also takes its toll on developing minds, causing kids and teens to fall back in school. If you’re having trouble sleeping, it may help to cut back on your smartphone usage. By avoiding electronics before bed, you’ll be able to fall asleep more easily. Not only that, but you’ll get to enjoy a deeper, more peaceful night’s sleep.

Most people are aware that their medical history, along with what they eat and how much they weigh, can create a risk of getting Type-2 diabetes. But what they are unaware of is that such a health problem can interfere with their normal sleep routine. Not only sleep can affect the blood sugar levels but it is also true the other way round. Apart from the usual problems associated with getting a good night’s rest such as sleep apnea, hypos at night, and being overweight, having high blood sugar levels can also have a similar impact. People who have blood sugar levels that are excessively high or low can experience tiredness throughout the day. Insomnia and lethargy are two common symptoms of blood sugar though it is not necessary that people who are suffering from sleeplessness and lethargy are diabetic. How Does Diabetes Have Impact on the Ability to Sleep? Several research studies over the years have established a clear connection between diabetes and sleep problems. Sleep disturbance not only indicates the difficulty in falling asleep but also staying asleep or sleeping too much. While diabetes does not necessarily mean that your normal sleeping habits will be impacted, such a health condition is likely to interfere with your night’s rest. Some of the symptoms include – People with high blood sugar levels are prone to frequent urination. This will impact the deep sleep making the person get up frequently for using the bathroom. When the body contains extra glucose, it draws excess water from the tissues. This will make you feel dehydrated forcing you to get up in the middle of your sleep for a glass of water. The common symptoms of dizziness, sweating, and shakiness can affect your normal sleep routine. Different Sleep Disorders and Their Connection With Diabetes Although tossing and turning may be a common symptom among people with diabetes problems, there might be a separate medical condition that might be breeding underneath. Some of the commonly experienced sleep disorders among people are mainly the underlying cause of diabetes. Insomnia This sleep disorder is characterized by trouble falling and staying asleep. You are more at risk of experiencing insomnia if you have high glucose levels with high stress. Insomnia patients are known to experience several kinds of sleep disruptions, like – Problem falling asleep; Difficulty in staying asleep; Waking up early; Waking up tired Taking any OTC medication won’t solve the issue. Instead, try to identify the root cause of the problem, such as experiencing any family issues or working in a high-stress environment. Seek medical advice from a healthcare practitioner to determine and cure the root cause of such defects. Obstructive Sleep Apnea This is the most common disorder among people with diabetes problems, with almost 86 percent of people with diabetes having obstructive sleep apnea. The OSA is a medical condition that is characterized by frequently interrupted breathing while sleeping. People with such problems experience fully or partially blocked airways. Such a sleep disorder is harmful to both sleep quantity and sleep quality. Most people having OSA experience frequent awakenings with fragmented and restless sleep. In addition, it also develops a higher risk of getting Type-2 diabetes and an increased risk for cardiovascular problems. Nocturnal Hypoglycemia Low glucose levels in the blood, or hypoglycemia, can have an adverse impact on the quality of your sleep. People who are taking blood sugar medications or insulin might be at risk of getting low blood sugar. Overnight fall of blood sugar levels can disrupt your usual sleep pattern and make it difficult for you to wake up in the morning and feel tired throughout the day. One of the most common symptoms of nocturnal hypoglycemia is waking up sweating in the middle of the night. Restless Leg Syndrome Also known as the Ekbom Syndrome, this sleep disorder is characterized by uncomfortable and unpleasant feelings in the legs, causing the person to move the legs to reduce such sensation. The sleeper may experience a burning sensation or as if insects were crawling over the legs. Such a syndrome may also be an indication of the presence of peripheral neuropathy. Such a condition is often associated with a lack of diabetes control which can be treated by improving the blood glucose levels. Post Meal Lethargy or Daytime Tiredness A feeling of tiredness throughout the day, particularly during the morning period and after meals can often be a result of high blood sugar levels. If you happen to experience such problems, get a blood sugar test done to check any correlation between the blood sugar count and such feelings of tiredness. This could probably be a result of low blood sugar levels, especially if you are taking insulin or is at risk of having hypoglycemia. Some Common Causes of Sleep Disruption The dysfunction of circadian rhythm due to the underlying cause of diabetes can also disrupt the metabolic hormones. Some of the common symptoms associated with sleep disruption problems include – Headaches: Both low and high blood sugar count can develop headache problems making it hard to sleep. Sweating: This is a sign of low blood sugar levels that can prevent you from falling asleep. Irritability and Anxiety: Low levels of blood sugar can trigger irritability and anxiousness. This may be a prime cause of restless sleep and insomnia. Such people may also experience a racing heartbeat with dizziness that interferes with their ability to fall asleep. Increased thirst: Both hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia is known to contract dehydration problems causing you to wake frequently and difficult to fall asleep. The Bottom Line If you are experiencing persistent sleep problems, consider testing your blood sugar levels as it might be the underlying cause of such an effect. In such a situation, you need to consult a healthcare practitioner to help you effectively manage and prevent the recurrence of such problems and keep your blood sugar count to normal. It may take about a week or two to observe the changes, so make sure to follow a regular routine.