How to Sleep Better When You Have Diabetes: Expert Tips
DiabetesType 2 Diabetes

8 Ways to Sleep Better When You Have Diabetes

8 Ways to Sleep Better When You Have Diabetes
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Updated on December 11, 2025
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8 Ways To Sleep Better When You Have Diabetes

These tips can help you sleep better and feel better while managing diabetes.
8 Ways To Sleep Better When You Have Diabetes

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Everyone needs good sleep, but it’s particularly important when you have type 2 diabetes. “Getting inadequate amounts of sleep can negatively impact blood sugar levels [in both the] short and long term,” says Gregg Faiman, MD, an endocrinologist at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center in Ohio. In fact, sleep is as essential to your health as nutrition and exercise, he says.

Too little sleep puts stress on your body, causing it to release the hormone cortisol. “Cortisol increases insulin resistance and increases blood sugar levels,” says Dr. Faiman. On the other hand, too much sleep may also pose health dangers for people with type 2 diabetes. In a study, among people with type 2 diabetes, sleeping less or more than seven hours per night was associated with an elevated risk of dying early, compared with sleeping seven hours.

Certain strategies can help ensure that you’re getting optimal rest when managing type 2 diabetes.

1. Check for Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder that’s common among people with type 2 diabetes, says Kingman Strohl, MD, a sleep medicine specialist at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland. In fact, there’s a bidirectional relationship between the two conditions, with people with type 2 diabetes having a higher risk of OSA and vice versa.

People with OSA experience the repeated collapse of their upper airway, causing them to stop breathing temporarily during sleep and severely impacting the body’s oxygen supply and sleep quality. Symptoms of sleep apnea include loud snoring, excessive sleepiness during the day, irritability, and morning headaches.

If you or your partner suspects that you have sleep apnea, ask your doctor about a sleep test. Sleep apnea can be treated with breathing devices, such as a positive airway pressure machine, as well as lifestyle changes, including weight loss.

2. Prioritize Blood Sugar Management

When your blood sugar is too high or too low, it can wake you up at night, says Joy Pape, NP, a weight management expert at the Comprehensive Weight Control Center at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian in New York City. “One of the best things for better sleep with type 2 diabetes is to keep your blood sugar levels within your target range so you’re not having highs or lows that prevent you from sleeping well,” she says.

Together with your diabetes healthcare provider, you can devise a personalized treatment plan that includes your personal food, activity, medication, and monitoring plan, says Pape. “I highly recommend monitoring your glucose using a continuous glucose monitor, so that you can look at your glucose levels over 24-hour periods,” she adds.

3. Practice Good Sleep Hygiene

Most adults need at least seven to nine hours of sleep a night.

 Many people don’t allow themselves adequate time for sleep, says Faiman, but if you have type 2 diabetes, it’s critical that you do so.

Dr. Strohl agrees, adding that it’s essential that everyone, especially those with chronic conditions like diabetes, plan for adequate sleep, just as they would other activities. “Never think sleep isn’t as important as watching television or talking on the phone,” he says.

It’s also important not to overdo it with naps. Limit your midday rest to no more than 30 minutes in the early afternoon. Napping any later is likely to throw off your ability to get to sleep that night.

4. Keep a Regular Bedtime

Some quality sleep tips for people with type 2 diabetes are the same as those for the general population, says Faiman. Near the top of the list is having a regular routine for the time you go to bed and the time you wake up, both on weekdays and weekends, says Pape.

When your sleep schedule is consistent, it helps your body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm) work best.

 As such, having a stable bedtime and wake time is associated with better sleep quality and shorter sleep onset.

A regular sleep routine is also important for overall health, supporting the optimal functioning of your heart, lungs, metabolism, immune system, and more.

5. Turn Off Electronic Devices

Exposure to bright light from televisions, smartphones, and tablets alike not only disrupts sleep but can also alter your metabolism and affect your weight.

Blue light exposure in the evening is linked to an increase in insulin resistance, the body’s decreased ability to move glucose from the bloodstream to cells to be used for energy.

 As a result, it may increase a person’s risk of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.

To mitigate these effects, experts recommend turning off blue light sources well before bedtime. Avoiding these devices for two to three hours before bed is ideal. Keep your bedroom dark throughout the night too, using dim red night lights if necessary to protect the quality of your sleep.

6. Don’t Drink Alcohol Before Bed

Alcohol affects blood sugar levels by impairing the release of glucose into the bloodstream. It takes about two hours for your body to completely metabolize any alcohol you’ve consumed, which can lead to problematic blood sugar drops once you’re already asleep.

If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation and only with food. “Moderation” is defined as up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.

“Alcohol is a fragmenter of sleep,” says Strohl. To reduce your risk of sleep disturbances as a result of alcohol consumption, stop drinking at least three to four hours before bedtime.

 Not drinking too much before going to sleep may also help you avoid having to get up to go to the bathroom during the night.

7. Exercise During the Day

You may sleep better at night if you get some physical activity during the day, with as little as 10 minutes of aerobic exercise making a difference.

 Exercise increases both your internal body temperature and endorphin levels temporarily, and as they return to normal, this shift can trigger a feeling of drowsiness that may help you drift off to sleep more quickly.

Exercise can also help you burn calories and maintain a healthy weight, says Strohl. If you’re overweight, even a modest amount of weight loss can help you better control type 2 diabetes.

8. Find Ways to De-Stress

Everyone deals with some stress, but people with type 2 diabetes are often under even more pressure, due to the challenges of managing a chronic condition on top of everyday stressors. When that stress becomes overwhelming, it can negatively affect your sleep, too.

Stress causes the nervous system to release hormones cortisol and adrenaline, which regulate the fight-or-flight response in stressful or dangerous situations.

 Typically, once the perceived threat is removed, these hormone levels return to normal and the body relaxes again. But with chronic stress, this aggravation of the nervous system doesn’t go away, and the body’s sustained increases in adrenaline and cortisol can lead to tossing and turning and feelings of restlessness at night.
For this reason, it’s important to find ways to de-stress before you go to bed. Mindfulness techniques, such as deep breathing, visualization, and meditation, can improve sleep quality as well as reduce insomnia.

The Takeaway

  • Adequate sleep is essential for individuals with type 2 diabetes, because insufficient rest increases cortisol levels in the body, leading to increased insulin resistance and elevated blood sugar levels.
  • Ask your doctor to screen you for obstructive sleep apnea, and prioritize keeping your blood sugar levels within your target range to prevent sleep disruptions and improve your overall sleep quality.
  • Practice good sleep hygiene too, by getting at least seven hours of rest each night, limiting midday naps, and maintaining a consistent bedtime and wake-up schedule.
  • To further support healthy sleep, avoid blue light from electronic devices and alcohol for several hours before bed, incorporate exercise into your daily routine, and use techniques like mindfulness and meditation to keep your stress levels in check.

Resources We Trust

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
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  14. Full Proof: Explaining How Alcohol Can Interfere With Sleep. Cleveland Clinic. January 30, 2025.
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  16. Exercising for Better Sleep. Johns Hopkins Medicine.
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Alex Dimitriu, MD

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Alex Dimitriu, MD, is dual board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine. He helps his patients optimize peak performance by day and peak restorative sleep by night, and he brings a deep respect for science and spirituality into his work.

Dr. Dimitriu has been recognized by The New York Times, Discover magazine, Men’s Health, Cosmopolitan, and NBC News, among other media outlets. He is a medical reviewer for Business Insider and the Sleep Foundation, and is a contributing author to the Encyclopedia of Sleep Medicine.

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