We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Health

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Is the Connection between Sleep Apnea and Diabetes?

Tricia Christensen
By
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 2,695
Share

The strongest connection between sleep apnea and diabetes is that they frequently occur together. People with diabetes are additionally at a significant risk for developing sleep apnea, and this risk increases with age and/or elevated body mass index (BMI). Moreover, the two diseases share other factors in common, like poor patient self-diagnosis or recognition. Also, the failure to treat sleep apnea in the diabetic tends to worsen diabetes.

Diabetes Type II results in high blood sugar levels that cannot be appropriately metabolized by the body. Sleep apnea features stop breathing episodes while sleeping, with additional problems like snoring, oxygen depletion, and daytime tiredness. As stated, these two conditions often occur together.

The frequency with which sleep apnea and diabetes co-occur is striking. Of people with sleep apnea, 40% have diabetes, and roughly half of all people with diabetes have or will develop sleep apnea. Medical professionals now argue that the high rate of sleep apnea and diabetes indicate always screening for one if the other is present.

People who seem most likely to have sleep apnea and diabetes together tend to share other features. Diabetics who are over the age of 65 and/or who are considered medically obese bear the most risk. Even in these groups, appropriate diagnosis isn’t assured. In many instances, patients don’t recognize the symptoms of these disorders, and they may not be brought to the attention of doctors right away. This is unfortunate because both diseases benefit from early intervention.

It is especially important that people with diabetes be screened for sleep apnea. Research has now shown that failure to treat this condition can worsen diabetes. It may cause greater insulin resistance or rising glucose levels, and these only interfere with the treatment efforts directed at diabetes.

The benefits of this screening for either or both sleep apnea and diabetes are apparent. Treatment for sleep apnea uses methods like a continuous pulmonary airway pressure (CPAP) machine, an assistive breathing device that is operated during sleeping hours. It has a tremendously positive effect on diabetes by lowering glucose levels. This could mean diabetics might retain more control of their illness or use less medication for it.

Some diabetics with sleep apnea won’t receive or stick with CPAP because the machines and all their related parts aren’t that user friendly. Doctors still strongly advise sleep apnea treatment for patients with concurrent diabetes. They argue that even if CPAP is inconvenient or difficult to become accustomed to, it offers measurable beneficial effects on the degree of diabetic illness, while helping to alleviate the effects of sleep apnea.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Tricia Christensen
By Tricia Christensen
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a WiseGeek contributor, Tricia Christensen is based in Northern California and brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her writing. Her wide-ranging interests include reading, writing, medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion, all of which she incorporates into her informative articles. Tricia is currently working on her first novel.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a WiseGeek contributor, Tricia...
Learn more
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-the-connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-diabetes.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.