Diabetes Direction

Everyone knows that we need sleep, but do you know how important it is to get enough? In today’s life, most of us run at full speed ahead, running ourselves ragged, getting kids to places they need to be, working, taking care of a home and family, finding time to spend with friends…and so much more! It is difficult to get things done that we need to, let alone taking enough time to sleep!

There have been studies done that show that women sleeping 5 or fewer hours per night have a 2.5% greater chance at becoming diabetic than those that sleep for 7 hours. It is thought that sleep deprivation leads to insulin resistance. Also, it is my opinion that the more ragged we run, the less healthy we are likely to eat.

There are ways to help us get a more restful sleep, from soothing sounds to special beds. It is important to not drink caffeine after dinner. In fact, don’t drink much of anything or you might find yourself waking up to use the restroom! Take the time to find a routine that helps you relax. This could be a bath, a hot shower, giving yourself a facial, reading a book, taking a walk or just sitting and doing nothing for a few minutes.

If your diabetes requires a snack before bedtime, make sure it isn’t something that will make you thirsty. A small piece of fruit or a few berries with a splash of cream will give you enough moisture without overdoing it.

Not getting enough sleep is bad for our health in other ways also, too many to list in a blog entry. Our bodies need time to rest and fix things that might be going wrong. We can’t hope to feel well if we don’t give our bodies what they need to do the job, including food, exercise and sleep!

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