Help Your Diabetes by Treating Sleep Apnea
Help Your Diabetes by Treating Sleep Apnea
Getting a good night's sleep can be more than restful. It can actually help control your diabetes.
Research has shown that treating sleep apnea, which causes a person to stop breathing during sleep, can improve blood sugar levels. Sleep apnea also is associated with depression, hypertension, heart disease and stroke.
Struggling for Air
"In obstructive sleep apnea, the throat muscles become so relaxed that the windpipe becomes blocked and the lungs don't get enough oxygen. When this happens, a person actually stops breathing for 10 to 30 seconds before their brain jolts them awake. This can happen hundreds of times a night, but most people don't fully awaken and may not even know it's occurring," said Jenine Vecchio, MD, a Lourdes Health System endocrinologist. "However, sufferers are so tired during the day they may fall asleep at work or while driving."
Men and people who are older than 40 or overweight are more likely to develop sleep apnea, and people with diabetes are especially at risk.
Diabetes and sleep apnea are closely related. Sleep apnea sufferers are nine times more likely to have diabetes than those without the disorder. Obesity is one link: It is a risk factor for developing both type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea. Excess weight makes the structures in your throat heavier and breathing harder.
Yet according to an American Association of Diabetes Educators study, 85 percent of sleep apnea cases go undiagnosed.
"It is believed that sleep apnea activates the body's fight-or-flight response. This triggers a series of events, including the production of high levels of a hormone that leads to insulin resistance and glucose intolerance," said Parveen K. Verma, DO, FACE, a Lourdes Health System endocrinologist. "Low oxygen levels also appear to play a role."
Dual Treatment
One of the most common ways to treat sleep apnea is with a continuous positive airway pressure device, or CPAP. The device, which is worn to bed each night, uses a mask and fan to gently blow air into the throat. This helps to keep the windpipe clear and allows air to flow freely into the lungs.
In a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers evaluated the effects of CPAP on blood sugar levels on people with type 2 diabetes. Patients who received the treatment for at least four hours a night for three months showed a significant reduction in glucose levels. Researchers believe that with better sleep, patients' insulin resistance was lowered.
"Because lowering glucose levels can reduce the risk for diabetes-related heart and kidney problems, CPAP could play an important role in the management of patients' diabetes," said Dr. Verma.
Sleep Better Tonight
Do you snore so loudly your spouse has forced you onto the couch? Do you wake up tired after a full night's sleep? Do you feel sleepy during the day? You may have sleep apnea. Call 1-888-LOURDES (568-7337) to receive a FREE brochure on this common sleep disorder and learn ways catch some better Zs.
Jenine Vecchio, MD
Parveen K. Verma, DO
For more information about Dr. Vecchio, Dr. Verma or another Lourdes expert, call 1-888-LOURDES (568-7337) or visit the Lourdes Health System Web site at www.lourdesnet.org and click on "Find a Physician."
The Sleep Lab at Lourdes Medical Center of Burlington County can diagnose sleep disorders including sleep apnea. Go to www.lourdesnet.org and click on "Programs and Services" for details.
