Learn to recognise the the signs and symptoms that may show you have diabetes and need to see early medical help. But don’t be alarmed by altering your nourishment food & drink intake can help in the fight against Diabetes.
Diabetics Need to Improve Their Sleep to Fortify Their Immune System
One of the biggest problems with diabetes is that it can have many negative effects on your sleep. It’s been estimated that at least 1/3 of all diabetics experience sleep problems as a result of their condition, ranging from things like restless motion up to severe sleep apnea.
While not getting enough sleep is hard enough on its own, it can also harm your immune system and body, making you much more prone to sickness. Sleep is incredibly important for your body in so many different ways.
It’s your body’s time for recovery, and while it may seem like you’re resting, your body is actually very busy making repairs while you’re asleep. Many of these processes can only really be done during sleep, so if you’re not getting enough, you’re going to cut them off and leave yourself not fully restored.
For example, antibodies, T-cells, and certain kinds of cytokines are made by your body during sleep. All of these are important components of your immune system, so if you don’t get an ample amount of sleep so that your body can stock up on them, you’re going to have a lowered immune system.
A weakened immune system won’t even be the worst of your problems if you’re not getting enough sleep. Studies have found that those who don’t get enough sleep are more prone to high blood pressure, weight gain, heart disease, and more.
Since diabetics already struggle with some of those, you really don’t want to skimp out on sleep and make it any worse. The problem is that while the issues caused by a lack of sleep are particularly harmful for diabetics, it’s diabetics who struggle with sleep the most.
One of the most common things that prevents diabetics from getting enough sleep is sleep apnea, in which your breathing pattern is messed up while you’re sleeping leading to snoring and poor sleep.
In order to improve your sleep, there are a couple of things that you can do. First, you should have a consistent bed time that you stick with, instead of changing the time you go to sleep each night.
Second, if you have a particular condition that prevents your sleep, you should look into certain devices that can help. For example, CPAP machines can help those with sleep apnea sleep soundly, and those with restless legs or arms can use a weighted blanket to prevent spasms.
Frequent Doctor’s Visits Put Diabetics at Risk with Their Weakened Immune System
If you have diabetes, you should know that your immune system is weaker due to your condition. Without a strong immune system, you’re going to be a lot more susceptible to getting sick, and when you do get sick, it’s going to hit you harder than it would someone else.
This is why you need to minimize your visits to the doctor if at all possible. Of course in cases of emergency you’re going to have to go to the doctor. When your blood sugar spikes too high, you need to see a medical professional to get the help you need.
However, you want to do everything you can to avoid that happening so that you don’t have to go to the doctor as much as you might normally. Doctor’s offices and hospitals are already houses for hotbeds for germs and diseases.
Despite their best efforts to sanitize them thoroughly, sick patients are still constantly walking in and out while spreading their disease around through surfaces or through the air.
The reason that diabetes affects your immune system has to do with the higher blood sugar levels. High blood sugar allows infections to spread and grow much faster than normal, making it much harder for your immune system to deal with, which leads to you getting sicker more often.
Another issue that diabetes poses for your immune system is the reduced blood flow and poor circulation throughout your body. Your white blood cells need to come in contact with the virus to detect it and to signal your body about it, but with poor blood flow, there’s a much lower chance of that happening.
This leads to viruses being able to take root and spread without your body even noticing until it’s too late. By the time it’s caught, the virus has already spread significantly, and it’ll be a much harder fight for your immune system because it hasn’t had time to prepare.
You may also know that diabetes impairs some of your nervous system, leading to more numbness in some areas. This numbness may cause a small injury to go unnoticed, such as a minor cut, which can then easily get infected all without you knowing.
By visiting doctor’s offices and hospitals frequently, you’re going to be exposing yourself to a lot of different diseases and infectious microbes that could all easily spread and get you sick, especially if you’re diabetic.