Everyone has a bad night’s sleep sometimes. In fact, around one-third of adults in the United States report not getting the recommended amount of shut-eye (at least seven hours a night).
While it can leave you feeling groggy the next day, that’s not the only impact it has on your health. Inadequate sleep can also affect your ability to manage blood sugar.
“Sleep health is one of the pillars of blood sugar management,” says Russender Powell, RD, CDCES, a diabetes and lifestyle coach at Russ Powell Nutrition in Frisco, Texas. Lack of sleep quantity or quality can affect how your body handles glucose and make it harder to stick to the health habits that keep blood sugar in check. Over time, poor slumber can affect your cravings, energy, mood, and, if it persists, overall metabolic health.
Learn more about how sleep affects blood sugar and how to support healthy blood sugar levels, even if you’ve had a restless night.