The 2023 edition of the American Diabetes Association's Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes introduces a dedicated section on sleep health, reflecting a changing perspective among diabetes experts on the crucial impact of sleep on diabetes health.   

Diabetes Educators are encouraged to evaluate sleep health in those with diabetes and refer them to sleep medicine or qualified behavioral health professionals. While the challenges of promoting healthy sleep and managing diabetes remain, proactive advocacy and support from diabetes educators play a pivotal role in the lives of their patients. 

Diabetes Defined  

In the vast landscape of diabetes, a condition impacting over 30 million individuals in the U.S., it is crucial to reassess the dynamics for effective communication. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes has surged to become the 7th leading cause of adult mortality. This chronic metabolic disease shares a stage with sleep apnea, with common denominators like sedentary lifestyles, poor diets, and escalating obesity rates forming a complex web connecting these conditions.  

Diabetes, the metabolic maestro, orchestrates the transformation of food into glucose—the body's energy currency. However, in diabetes, this intricate dance falters. The pancreas, the key player in this process, struggles. It either produces insufficient insulin or grapples with its efficient use, leading to elevated blood sugar levels. This elevation casts a shadow over the heart, eyes, kidneys, and nerves, posing significant health risks.  

Shedding Light on Diabetes and Sleep Apnea  

Sleep apnea, affecting over 30 million people in the U.S., shares a prevalence rate with diabetes and is significantly underdiagnosed. Imagine a narrow or blocked upper airway causing sleep disruptions—cue the snoring and gasping for air. Beyond the physical manifestations, individuals with sleep apnea suffer from daytime sleepiness, overall fatigue, and mental fog. If left untreated, sleep apnea becomes a precursor to cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and, interestingly, diabetes. It's a two-way street, as a considerable number of diabetes patients also grapple with sleep apnea.  

Obesity: The Silent Instigator  

Yale Medicine contributes valuable insights by highlighting the impact of disrupted sleep on already elevated glucose levels in diabetes. Hormonal changes during sleep deprivation emerge as key players, linking to obesity—a shared risk factor for both type 2 diabetes and obstructive sleep apnea. The hunger hormone, ghrelin, takes center stage, leading to overeating, while leptin, the fullness hormone, takes a backseat. This hormonal symphony results in weight gain, a common thread weaving through both conditions and intensifying the challenges diabetes patients face.  

Screening for Sleep Apnea  

The STOP-Bang screener is a widely used tool to assess individuals' likelihood of sleep apnea. The acronym "STOP-Bang" stands for Snoring, Tiredness, Observed apneas, high blood pressure, Body mass index (BMI), Age, Neck circumference, and Gender. Healthcare professionals, including Diabetes Educators, often employ this questionnaire to quickly and systematically identify patients who may benefit from further sleep apnea evaluation and management.  

Telehealth: An Essential Tool in Your Treatment Plan 

As Diabetes Educators navigate the complexities of intertwined health challenges, innovative solutions become imperative. Telehealth emerges as a vital tool to reduce the prevalence of these chronic conditions. While Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) remains a frontline treatment for sleep apnea, clarifying its role becomes paramount—it's not a cure for diabetes. Still, it aids in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.  

Moreover, lifestyle changes assume a pivotal role in this narrative. Encouraging patients to adopt healthier habits, including regular exercise and a wholesome diet, becomes crucial. These lifestyle modifications play a dual role—they contribute to controlling weight, a shared factor in diabetes and sleep apnea, and promote overall well-being.  

A virtual-care sleep apnea solution from BetterNight 

Unlike traditional patient pathways of costly and time-consuming in-lab sleep tests and shuffling diabetes patients to multiple providers to treat sleep apnea, BetterNight is a comprehensive telehealth sleep apnea provider. 

Patients are screened, diagnosed, and treated for sleep apnea - from the comforts of home.  

With over 300 sleep industry professionals providing live Sleep Physician consults, therapy set-up assistance and counseling throughout their sleep care journey - BetterNight has doubled the national average compliance rates among Medicare patients.  

For more information on how you can experience the efficiencies of telehealth in treating both diabetes and sleep apnea, visit betternight.com