Diabetes is a chronic and unfortunately a very common issue that people experience all over the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) the number of people living with diabetes increased from 200 million in 1990 to 830 million in 2022. More than half of the people who have diabetes do not have access to medication. While many people do not take this condition seriously it can cause kidney failures, heart attacks, stroke and even limb amputations. While some common symptoms of diabetes include feeling thirsty, urinating more often, blurred vision, unintentional weight loss, Diabetes UK, a charitable trust, says that there is another common sign of diabetes: sleep troubles. How Diabetes Messes with Your Sleep According to Diabetes UK, diabetes can really make it hard to sleep. When your blood sugar levels go up and down, it can "disrupt" your sleep. Also, other problems caused by diabetes can make you feel pain that keeps you awake. Getting enough quality sleep is important for good health and wellbeing, but sleep problems can be common for people living with diabetes, and getting a good night’s rest can be easier said than done. Changes in your blood sugar levels can play their part in disrupting sleep, and diabetes complications such as neuropathy (nerve damage) and foot pain can also make it hard to sleep. Blood Sugar and Its Influence On Sleep If your blood sugar gets too low or too high, it can cause issues with sleep. The charity explains that low blood sugar, which is called hypos, can happen at night for people with type 1 diabetes and make their sleep worse. This may also be an issue for people with other types of diabetes who need to take medicine to lower their blood sugar. The experts explain that the medication might also have high and low blood sugar levels during the night. The experts also said that having low blood sugar at night can make you feel sleepy during the day. And if you often have low blood sugar at night, your sleep can become "irregular."High blood sugar can also keep you awake. Diabetes UK says: “When your blood sugar is high, you might need to go to the toilet more often, which can wake you up. High blood sugar can also make you feel very thirsty and give you a headache, which can make it harder to fall back asleep.” Lack Of Sleep Can Make Diabetes Worse What makes this symptom concerning is that studies show that if you have trouble sleeping, it might even make it more likely that you will get type 2 diabetes. A study from 2022 led by the University of Bristol found that people who had problems falling asleep or staying asleep had higher blood sugar levels than people who usually slept well. The study explained that the amount of blood sugar that gets lowered after proper treatment for insomnia is almost the same as the blood sugar loss of an average height who loses 14 kgs. This means around 27,300 UK adults, aged between 40 and 70 years old, with frequent insomnia symptoms would be free from having diabetes if their insomnia was treated. To help one sleep better, here are some tips according to Diabetes UK. Try to be more active during the day.Try to sleep on a comfy bed with comfy pillows and blankets.Try to relax for at least an hour before you go to bed.Avoid drinking alcohol before bed because it can mess up your body's sleep clock.Turn off bright lights and screens like TVs and phones before bed because they can also confuse your body about when to sleep.Make your bedroom cooler by turning down the heat or using a fan.Don't spend too much time on social media before bed.