World Diabetes Day 2025: Endocrinologist reveals how insomnia makes diabetes tougher to manage

Poor sleep raises blood sugar, disrupts hormones, and worsens diabetes. An endocrinologist explains how sleep impacts insulin, cravings, and overall control. (Image: Pexels)

A good sleep provides proper rest to the body and positively impacts your metabolism and hormone balance. Also, if you are living with diabetes, sleeping only for a few hours will not only make you grumpy and irritated, it can also make it difficult to manage diabetes.
Modern life doesn’t make it easy. Stress, late-night screens, shift work and irregular routines have turned sleep into a rare commodity. According to Dr Piyush Lodha, Endocrinologist at Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune, this shortage of sleep can significantly interfere with blood sugar control. “Adequate, good-quality sleep is as important for diabetes management as diet and medication,” he tells Moneycontrol

When the body doesn’t get enough rest, insulin—the hormone that regulates blood sugar—works less effectively. This can lead to higher blood sugar levels, even if you follow your diet and take your medication faithfully. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Sleep deprivation also sets off a chain reaction affecting hormones, medication efficiency, lifestyle choices, and overall health.

Also Read: Think diet and exercise are enough? Here’s why sleep is just as important to control blood sugar level

Sleep deprivation and diabetes: Dr Lodha explains what happens:

Inadequate sleep boosts insulin resistance
A few nights of poor sleep can make your body less sensitive to insulin, complicating glucose control and making diabetes management harder.

Hormonal chaos
Lack of sleep disrupts hormones like cortisol, ghrelin, and leptin. This can increase stress, hunger, and cravings for high-carb foods, leading to weight gain, a major risk factor for Type 2 diabetes.

Medication doesn’t work as well
Insomnia can alter hormone rhythms, making oral drugs or insulin less predictable in their effects.Sleep apnea worsens control

Obstructive sleep apnea, common in Type 2 diabetes, interrupts breathing and oxygen supply during sleep, spiking blood sugar and blood pressure. Untreated, it can make diabetes almost impossible to manage and raise heart disease risk.

Fatigue drives poor lifestyle choices
Exhaustion reduces motivation to exercise and encourages snacking on sugary quick fixes, further destabilising blood sugar levels.

Mental health suffers
Sleep deprivation affects mood, focus, and motivation, increasing anxiety or depression, which can lead to neglected diabetes care.

Body repair slows down
Deep sleep allows the body to repair itself, reduce inflammation, and support immunity. Skimping on sleep worsens inflammation and accelerates diabetes complications like neuropathy, retinopathy, and cardiovascular disease.

Better sleep improves blood sugar
The bright side? A consistent sleep schedule, screen-free bedtime, and treatment of sleep disorders like sleep apnea can lower blood sugar and improve long-term control.

Also Read: Diabetes is not caused only by eating sugar, endocrinologist reveals how stress, irregular sleep, poor lifestyle raise the risk

Missing sleep doesn’t just make you tired, it disrupts your entire metabolic system. For anyone living with diabetes, prioritising sleep is as critical as diet or medication.

FAQs on the link between insomnia and diabetes:

1. Can lack of sleep cause diabetes?

Lack of sleep can increase insulin resistance, making it harder to control blood sugar levels and potentially leading to diabetes.

2. How does sleep affect blood sugar levels?

Poor sleep affects insulin's effectiveness, leading to higher blood sugar levels even with diet and medication.

3. What are the hormonal impacts of sleep deprivation on diabetes?

Sleep deprivation disrupts hormones like cortisol, ghrelin, and leptin, increasing stress, hunger, and cravings for high-carb foods, which can complicate diabetes management.

4. Can treating sleep disorders improve diabetes control?

Yes, treating sleep disorders like sleep apnea can lower blood sugar and improve long-term diabetes control.

5. Is sleep as important as diet and medication in managing diabetes?

Yes, adequate and good-quality sleep is crucial for effective diabetes management, alongside diet and medication.

Disclaimer: This article, including health and fitness advice, only provides generic information. Don’t treat it as a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist for specific health diagnosis.