Overlooked Diabetes Risk Drives Up Blood Sugar
By
Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Posted March 17, 2023
If you’re concerned about diabetes, you’ve probably done your research.
You likely focused on all the common problem areas to ward off rising blood sugar: the grocery store… the gym… and the bathroom scale.
And those ARE all great places to start!
Eating better, exercising, and losing weight can go a long way toward bringing your numbers under control.
But most folks miss one other critical problem area that can send your blood sugar soaring.
In your quest to head off diabetes, you’ve probably never considered the role your bedroom could play.
But the truth is it could hold the key to FINALLY getting your blood sugar under control.
Let me explain…
Recently Australian researchers asked over 1,000 adults about their sleep habits. They found that folks who had trouble sleeping were MUCH more likely to have a higher body mass, increased inflammation, and elevated cholesterol levels.
And those three metabolic-linked issues are typically a red flag for poor blood sugar control.
But according to the new study it’s not just sleep duration (how long you sleep) that’s an issue.
How regular your sleep habits are and how SOUNDLY you sleep (sleep quality) are every bit as critical.
So go ahead and keep up with the healthy eating, exercising, and maintaining a healthy weight. But add in getting quality sleep too.
If you find yourself struggling to get good sleep, my Better-Sleep Protocol can help:
- Exercise is one of the best paths to a good night’s sleep. When your body is physically tired, your mind has no choice but to give in. Find an exercise you love to do to stay motivated. And increase how much you exercise when you feel stressed.
- Avoid caffeine in the afternoon. This means skipping coffee, tea, chocolate, and energy drinks.
- Cut back on alcohol which leads to light and easily disturbed sleep.
- Sleeping alone is an option for folks accidentally woken up by their partner. A spouse who snores or is restless at night can disturb your sleep. The National Sleep Foundation found nearly 25 percent of couples sleep in separate beds. So you’d be in good company.
- Calming herbs such as hops, passionflower, lemon balm, chamomile, and valerian help relax the body and mind promoting restful sleep.
- Theanine is an amino acid in green tea that helps people feel calm. A caffeine-free green tea before bed could help if you’re battling anxiety or stress.
- Melatonin is a hormone that helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle. Taking a supplement can help reset your circadian rhythms, promoting better sleep.
Sleep plays a critical role in good blood sugar control. Make quality rest a priority to help reduce your diabetes risk.
P.S. Recent research has revealed coffee can SLASH your diabetes risk. But there’s one small catch. To get those diabetes-fighting benefits, it has to be the RIGHT kind of coffee. CLICK HERE for the scoop.
Source:
“Multidimensional Sleep and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes: Examining Self-Report and Objective Dimensions of Sleep” 2 November 2022, The Science of Diabetes Self-Management and Care. DOI: 10.1177/26350106221137896
Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.
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