Diabetes and the Importance of a Full Night’s Sleep
Did you know that sleeping enough is also an important part of diabetes care?
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Transcript
When you think of self-care and diabetes, things like physical activity, healthy eating, taking medicines, and checking your blood glucose likely come to mind. But did you know that sleeping enough is also an important part of diabetes care?
Hi, I’m Dr. Griffin Rodgers, Director of the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases at NIH.
Most adults should get seven to eight hours of sleep a night. While we sleep, our bodies work to maintain our health. But in our busy modern world, getting too little sleep is the norm for many people. Studies show that having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep may contribute to your risk of developing health problems in the long term. If you have diabetes, sleep problems may worsen symptoms or make it harder to manage your blood glucose.
If you struggle with sleep, talk to your doctor. They may recommend lifestyle changes, ways to relax at bedtime, or other treatments.
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