When it's time to go to bed, you prepare to sleep early, but unfortunately, you still can't fall asleep at midnight. Insomnia not only affects your work performance the next day, but it may also lead to diabetes. Insomnia sufferers should take it seriously and find ways to overcome this sleep disorder early.
Causes of Diabetes Caused by Chronic Insomnia
If insomnia symptoms persist for more than a month, it is classified as chronic insomnia. Prolonged insomnia also increases the risk of diabetes. Insomnia activates the body's stress response system and affects carbohydrate metabolism. As a result, cortisol and adrenaline in the body become more active, increasing the risk of diabetes for insomnia sufferers. Reports show that chronic insomnia may make people more susceptible to type 2 diabetes. If the body's sensitivity to insulin decreases, blood sugar levels rise, leading to diabetes. Therefore, insomnia is also a cause of diabetes.
Medical professionals have found that the probability of developing diabetes is higher in individuals who suffer from long-term sleep deprivation compared to those who sleep well. This is because long-term insomnia can activate the body's stress response system and affect carbohydrate metabolism, both of which are significant factors leading to diabetes. Therefore, people with long-term poor sleep are more likely to develop diabetes.
In clinical observations, it has been found that the onset of diabetes is related to emotional imbalances such as irritability, excessive liver heat, introverted personality, and suppressed emotions. As the pace of life accelerates and competition becomes increasingly fierce, many people are unable to adapt to environmental changes, leading to mental stress and psychological pressure, which can easily trigger diabetes.
In studies of diabetes patients, researchers have found that one common and important reason for the disease is long-term poor sleep or insufficient sleep. When a person has poor sleep, cortisol and adrenaline in the body become more active, affecting the absorption of sugar in multiple ways, leading to adverse consequences of diabetes.
Consequences of Long-term Insomnia
1. High mortality rate from long-term insomnia.
Medical evidence has shown that people who suffer from chronic insomnia have significantly hardened and narrowed blood vessels, which can affect blood supply and cause dysfunction in various organs. Metabolic waste products cannot be excreted from the body in a timely manner, white blood cell count decreases, and immune function is significantly reduced, leading to severe adverse effects on health. The mortality rate of individuals who sleep less than 4 hours per day is 1.8 times higher than those who have normal sleep.
2. Increased blood pressure.
Individuals with chronic insomnia should pay attention to their blood pressure. If a person doesn't sleep for two consecutive nights, their blood pressure will rise.
3. Insomnia and gastrointestinal health.
British scientists have found that staying up all night greatly increases the likelihood of developing gastrointestinal ulcers. This is because during sleep, a protein that helps regulate gastrointestinal function is most active.
4. Relationship between insomnia and mental and psychological disorders.
Medical research has confirmed that long-term sleep deprivation or being in a tense state can lead to neurological and autonomic nervous system dysregulation, resulting in mood disorders such as depression, anxiety, and tension. It can also lead to dysfunction of the cerebral cortex and autonomic nervous system, which can potentially lead to the onset of mental illnesses such as psychosis and neurosis.
How to Improve Sleep
1. Pay attention to diet:
Avoid being too hungry or too full before bedtime. If you are very hungry before bed, you can have a small snack and drink warm milk. Avoid consuming stimulating substances such as alcohol, coffee, and tea before bedtime. Also, avoid consuming spicy and greasy foods.
2. Exercise appropriately:
Choose exercise according to individual physical conditions. It is best to exercise during the day and avoid intense exercise at night. People with sensitive constitutions may have difficulty falling asleep with excessive exercise. The best exercise at night is walking.
3. Change the sleep environment:
Ensure that the bedroom is quiet and the lighting is not too bright. Maintain a cool indoor temperature.
4. Psychological and cognitive behavior therapy:
Sleep stimulus therapy, sleep restriction therapy, cognitive therapy, and music therapy can help improve sleep.
