Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder. As a matter of fact, obstructive sleep apnea is the most prevalent form of sleep-disordered breathing, rating up to 80% of all breathing-related sleep problems. But obstructive sleep apnea is not as simple a disorder as that. It can lead to many other health problems and complications which may be dangerous, and even lethal to the health of the affected individual.
One of the medical problems that may be a precursor to sleep apnea is diabetes. It has been found that individuals who have diabetes have higher chances of getting obstructive sleep apnea. The reality is, 40% of all diabetics have sleep apnea, and individuals who have obstructive sleep apnea also have tendency to develop diabetes. Individuals with type-2 diabetes may develop sleep apnea to a rate of more than 50%, and these people experience not just ordinary sleep apnea, but severe obstructive sleep apnea.
The relationship between diabetes and obstructive sleep apnea is quite complicated, but obesity as a factor that binds the two. When a person is obese, his throat muscles become filled with fat, making them collapse easier and block the air passages. Obese people, as most people know, have greater chances of having diabetes because of their unhealthy diet.
Another one reason why obstructive sleep apnea can cause or even aggravate diabetes is that the episodes of breathing stoppage can cause a secretion of hormone that reacts with insulin. When an individual experiences the halt of breath during sleep, the body reacts with a fight-or-flight instinct caused by the low oxygen level in the blood. When this happens, the body secretes a hormone called cortisol which reacts against the functions of insulin. This causes the blood sugar level to go up, since insulin is unable to perform its work. When this episode happens every night, the blood sugar level continues to increase, and eventually diabetes type 2 develops.
Not only is the cortisol secretion a factor that affects diabetes greatly in sleep apnea patients, but the sleeplessness also contributes to the diabetes problem. Lack of sleep or not having deep sleep causes the decrease of insulin sensitivity. Prevailing low insulin sensitivity may lead to other complications, and it is best to correct the problem immediately.
Research has also shown that CPAP therapy helps correct diabetes as well as sleep apnea. When an individual undergoes CPAP therapy, the body is able to regulate the breathing cycles. This minimizes cortisol secretion and also improves glucose levels in the body. But CPAP therapy is not the only useful way of decreasing the adverse effects of diabetes and sleep apnea. Lifestyle alterations are very useful methods of correcting sleep apnea accompanied by diabetes. Eating healthy food, following a proper and balanced diet, exercising regularly, losing weight if overweight, and avoiding unhealthy vices like drinking and smoking, are some effective methods to help control sleep apnea and diabetes. Not only that, these methods can also help in improving the overall health of the body.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with diabetes, it is best to check with your doctor to find out if you have sleep apnea or any sleep-disordered breathing conditions. In such event, your medical health provider will be able to advise you on what treatment method to follow in order to manage the diabetes and sleep apnea properly. Likewise, if you or someone you love has sleep apnea, regularly check your blood glucose levels in order to monitor if you are developing diabetes so that you can immediately suppress the disease. This will help prevent the occurrence of any complications and also treat the medical problem immediately. Always be observant about your medical conditions so that you will be able to act quickly on whatever developing health problems you have.