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Diabetes affects your body's ability to use glucose, aka sugar. That's why, if you have the condition — or its precursor, prediabetes — it's important to keep your blood sugar levels in check to avoid complications.
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Watching your diet, getting regular exercise and sticking to your medication routine are all crucial ways to manage diabetes and stabilize blood sugars, per the Mayo Clinic. But what else can you do on a daily basis to keep the condition under control?
We asked endocrinologists for their recommendations on how to keep blood sugar stable throughout the day. Here's what they shared:
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1. Get Enough Sleep
Lisal Jewel Stevens Folsom, MD, a pediatric and adult endocrinologist in Louisville, Kentucky, advises getting enough sleep. "Research shows that insulin resistance is more common in people who don't get enough sleep, so we should aim to consistently get restful sleep on a regular basis," she says.
Indeed, too little sleep (that is, fewer than seven hours a night) can increase insulin resistance, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
And this can lead to a cycle where you wake up hungrier the next day and feel less full after eating, making you more likely to eat nutrient-poor foods high in sugar and saturated fat, which can then reinforce blood sugar imbalances.
But sometimes getting enough sleep is easier said than done. Here are Dr. Folsom's tips for falling and staying asleep, to help you get a quality snooze and keep blood sugar spikes at bay:
- Incorporate exercise into your day (but avoid exercising too close to bedtime, as the energy boost will make it harder to fall asleep).
- Establish a bedtime routine. For instance, take a warm shower, then listen to soothing music or try a meditation to help you wind down before bed.
- Make your bedroom conducive to sleep. Remove all screens, light and noise. Keep temperature levels comfortable.
- Limit alcohol and caffeine intake after noon, as both can interfere with sleep.
