5 Ways Poor Sleep Hurts Your Blood Sugar

Poor sleep and blood sugar levels go together. Whether it’s social jet lag or too many chores, skimping on sleep hurts prediabetes and diabetes.


You snack on carrots instead of chips. And you walk after breakfast. Kudos to you for struggling through new eating and exercise habits in the name of steady blood sugar levels. But you’re still so frustrated! With all the changes you’ve made over the last months, why aren’t your blood sugar levels perfect???

High 5 for all you’ve accomplished! And sorry; perfection rarely exists when it comes to the complex human body.

Diet and exercise are two of the sharpest tools in your blood sugar toolbox. But there’s a third you may have overlooked.

Rocky sleep = rocky blood sugar levels

Netflix makes it so easy to watch one more episode. And then another. Smart people at streaming services know we’re likely to stay in our comfy chairs with the TV on as long as one episode starts up as the last one ends. I don’t have to do a darn thing to continue my TV marathon into the wee hours.

woman asleep in chair

Just a 5-minute mid-day rest turned into an hour-long snooze. If you struggle to stay awake during the day, your health may suffer. / photo credit: Sharon Mccutcheon

Whether the blame belongs to Netflix, work, or a mood-lifting cat video, more than 1/3 of adults in the US fail to get enough Z’s. Yes, turning off the lights and snuggling up in bed is one of many tools to manage your blood sugar.

To stay on track with multiple goals, get my prediabetes self-care checklist. It covers 4 domains of health that are important in your prediabetes action plan.

5 Ways Poor Sleep & Blood Sugar Levels are Connected

Do you sleep at least 7 hours nightly? That’s the amount the American Academy of Sleep Medicine says we need. Here are 5 ways skimping on snoozing damages your blood sugar control.

sleepy dog

Even Benny fights to stay awake for fear of missing out. Yes dog FOMO is a thing.

  1. Decreases insulin sensitivity. Sleeping too little throws off the balance of cortisol and growth hormone, which affects insulin resistance. Scientists found that restricting sleep for a single night to 4 hours impaired insulin sensitivity by 20 – 25% compared to sleeping 8.5 hours. Other studies find that people who sleep 7 – 8 hours per night are the least likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
  2. Boosts your appetite. It’s about hormones again. A sleep debt can cause levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin to go up and the appetite-suppressing hormone leptin to go down. And along with that seesaw, calories go up too. Sleep-deprived men and women of a healthy weight ate several hundred more calories than when they slept normally. Even worse, extra calories likely come from high-fat foods and poor-quality snacks.
  3. Packs on the pounds. Short-sleeping is linked to gaining weight, at least partly because of the increased calorie intake. And extra pounds are cleasleep and blood sugar are relatedrly linked to insulin resistance, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
  4. Wears you out. When you’re overtired, aren’t you also a little under-motivated for all those necessary self-care behaviors like cooking a healthful meal, taking a walk, and keeping your hand out of the candy jar? Even if you do get out there to exercise, are you able to give it your all?
  5. Impairs your judgment. You’re more likely to have mental fatigue too! And that can lead to poor decisions such as rationalizing your choice to order heavy, greasy takeout; skip your after-dinner walk; ignore your blood sugar monitor; or stay up too late.

Here’s what science says about reversing prediabetes and diabetes.

Poor sleep and blood sugar levels are tied together. If you’re short on sleep because you have too many chores or too much fun, commit to getting to bed on time. Even though it might not feel as urgent as sending another email, sleep is more important. And Netflix can wait till tomorrow.

Get this checklist for 4 domains of prediabetes health, including sleep

Jill-Weisenberger_about-image-2
Jill Weisenberger

I'm Jill, and I believe simple changes in your mindset and health habits can bring life-changing rewards. And I don't believe in willpower. It's waaaay overrated. As a food-loving registered dietitian nutritionist, certified diabetes care and education specialist and certified health and wellness coach, I've helped thousands of people solve their food and nutrition problems. If you're looking for a better way to master this whole healthy eating/healthy living thing or if you're trying to prevent or manage diabetes or heart problems, you'll find plenty of resources right here.

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Welcome to my Blog

Hi there! I'm Jill, a nutrition & diabetes expert and the author of 4 books.

Jill Weisenberger

I believe simple changes in health habits can bring you life-changing rewards.

And I believe willpower is way overrated.

Right here is where you can discover the mindset and habits to stick with healthy lifestyle choices most of the time - and drop the guilt when you don't.

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