The Connection Between Diabetes and Sleep Apnea

Not sleeping well at night is more than just a nuisance. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, sleep is a basic human need, like eating or drinking water. Sleep supports essential brain and nervous system functioning, allowing the body to recover from illness and stress. And most of us are not getting the sleep we need to live healthy, full lives. 

Sleep Apnea + Diabetes

Sleep apnea is a significant cause of interrupted sleep cycles. The most common form, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), occurs when throat muscles relax. Characterized by repeated stops and starts of breathing and loud snoring, it causes brief and frequent interruptions of sleep throughout the night. While experiencing sleep apnea, someone could be deprived of oxygen for up to 10 seconds or more, creating a sleep disturbance and increased stress in the body. 

Losing sleep contributes to a host of unhealthy habits like overeating and relying heavily on caffeine and increases the risk of disease, specifically diabetes. The side effects of sleep apnea are both dangerous and expensive: diabetes affects over 29 million Americans, costing almost $245 billion each year. And it doesn’t take long for those risks to materialize. Not getting sufficient sleep for five hours each night more than doubles your risk for diabetes.

As many as 60 to 70% of patients with type 2 diabetes have been found to have a component of OSA, and sleep apnea can exacerbate existing diabetes conditions in people. Furthermore, being overweight or obese increases the chance that you will have both diabetes and sleep apnea. In addition to exercise and a healthy diet, it’s essential to seek help if you currently have diabetes or sleep apnea – or both.

The BetterNight Solution

Treating sleep apnea can help improve diabetes-related issues for patients. Successful management of sleep apnea reduces insulin resistance, lowers blood pressure, and leads to more stabilized blood glucose levels. Unfortunately, the traditional path to diagnosis and treatment for sleep apnea is long and expensive, with as many as 67% of people abandoning the overwhelming process and never getting the help they need. 

BetterNight is a comprehensive sleep health solution that lowers the cost of care while improving long-term patient outcomes for sleep apnea. Our approach is simple, yet powerful: We offer a direct and convenient path to diagnosis and treatment. Through a telehealth-based sleep apnea platform, we provide lower unit costs, superior adherence, improved patient satisfaction, and higher health outcomes. 

Patients can receive diagnosis and treatment without ever leaving home and can begin therapy within as little as 10 days, compared to months with traditional sleep management solutions. Beyond diagnosis and initial treatment, BetterNight provides ongoing coaching and support. 

For more information about how BetterNight can help people with sleep apnea, email us at info@betternight.com or call 1 (866) 801-9440. Visit our website for more information.