How Does Sleep Help with Diabetes Management?

According to the Canadian Sleep Society, adults need between 6 and 9 hours of sleep per day.1 But with our hectic lifestyles, getting enough sleep can be a big challenge. In fact, a third of Canadians aged 18 to 64 report sleeping fewer than the minimum 7 hours per night that experts recommend for their age group.2

Sleep and Blood Sugar Management

The quality and length of sleep can change the way your body manages blood sugar. In particular, poor sleep:

² Makes your cells less sensitive to insulin.

² Prevents your insulin-producing cells from working properly.

When your insulin sensitivity is decreased, it means the body needs to produce more insulin to keep your blood sugar within a healthy range. However, if you have diabetes, your body has trouble meeting that greater demand, causing your blood sugar levels to rise.

Questions about diabetes?

Diabetes Québec offers the free InfoDiabetes service (available in French and English) to people living with diabetes, loved ones and healthcare professionals.

Our health professionals answer questions by phone, email, or chat.

514 259-3422 or 1 800 361-3504 infodiabete@diabete.qc.ca diabete.qc.ca

Sleep Influences Your Lifestyle

Chronic sleep deprivation often leads to poorer lifestyle habits. For instance, people who are often sleep-deprived tend to eat more energy-rich foods (i.e., those high in fat and sugar), in the long term leading to weight gain. They’re also tired more often, meaning they have less energy to get moving. And since dietary choices and physical activity both play a big part in blood sugar management, this can make it even harder for people with diabetes to manage their condition.3

Here are some tips for you if you feel like you’re not getting enough sleep:

Turn off your screens an hour before bedtime and choose a quiet activity, like reading.

Exercise during the day to help you sleep deeper at night.

To find the best amount of sleep for you, why not keep a sleep diary to track how much sleep you’ve gotten and how much energy you have during the day? Getting a good night’s sleep is definitely one way to bring you that much closer to a healthy lifestyle— one whose benefits you’ll enjoy every day!4

Julie St-Jean, Dt.P., ÉAD Professional Services Coordinator Diabetes Quebec

References :

1. Health Reports – Duration and quality of sleep among Canadians aged 18 to 79. (2017, September 20). https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/ pub/82-003-x/2017009/article/54857-eng.htm

2. Nedeltcheva, A. V., and Scheer, F. A. (2014). Metabolic effects of sleep disruption, links to obesity and diabetes. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes, 21(4), 293–298. DOI: 10.1097/ MED.0000000000000082.

3. Sleep Duration and Diabetes Risk: Population Trends and Potential Mechanisms –PubMed. (n.d.). PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27664039/

4. “How to get a good night’s sleep without medication” brochure. (n.d.). CaDeN. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5836f01fe6f2e1fa62c11f08/t/5c6587cbe79c702fc1385c50/1550157774396/Sleep+brochure_11Feb2019.pdf

Noise

Hypersensitivity: A Real Condition!

Noise hypersensitivity is a physical or physiological reaction to hearing certain sounds or tones. It’s an intolerance to noise that can cause stress, discomfort, and even pain.

Noise hypersensitivity is a broad term that’s subcategorized into several different hearing disorders. Here are the two most common ones.

Hyperacusis

Hyperacusis is an auditory system disorder that’s characterized by an abnormal hypersensitivity to mediumand high-volume noises. In other words, the person perceives ambient sounds as being too loud, even though they’re a “normal” volume. This issue can make certain noises absolutely unbearable, turning them into a source of stress and irritability.

In addition to the physiological symptoms, hyperacusis can cause physical reactions like:

{ fatigue

{ headaches

{ feeling of ear fullness

{ ear pain

Hyperacusis doesn’t have a specific cause, but it can be associated to another medical condition like hearing loss, head injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, a chronic pain disorder, or even anxiety or depression.

If the hyperacusis is related to hearing loss, the patient will be referred to an audiologist who may recommend hearing aids to help re-establish the audibility of sounds and the stimulation of the hearing system. If not, there are other solutions available. Sound therapy is one such option: it involves stimulating the auditory system by exposing it to different noises, such as those found in the environment, music and white noises. Instead of hiding or reducing the noise, the therapy helps the person tolerate it. By desensitizing the person to the noise, it can help reduce nervous activity in their auditory system and improve their tolerance to loud sounds. The more comfortable people with hyperacusis are with the sounds in their environment, the less likely they are to isolate themselves to alleviate their discomfort.

Misophonia

Misophonia is also characterized by an intolerance to certain noises. However, the noises that cause the discomfort are often more specific. For example, someone with misophonia might have difficulties tolerating chewing noises. Other sounds in the room might be fine, but that particular sound will cause a strong reaction. Repetitive noises, such as a clock ticking or a foot tapping, are often common triggers for misophonia.

When people with misophonia hear these sounds, it creates an abnormal activation of the emotional system and the system associated with attention. This is why misophonia treatment often involves support from an audiologist and a psychologist. More specifically, the patients are taught to ignore certain sounds to reduce their negative connotations.

If you are experiencing symptoms of noise hypersensitivity, please talk to an audiologist.

Pier-Luc

Trudeau

Audiologist practicing in Boisbriand, Mirabel, Saint-Jérôme, and Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts

References : - Baguley, D., Ph.D. (2021). 20Q: Current Perspectives on Hyperacusis. Audiology Online.

- Formby, C.; Hawley, M. L.; Sherlock, L.P.; Gold, S.; Payne, J.; Brooks, R.; Parton, J. M.; Juneau, R.; Desporte, E. J.; Siegle, G. R. (2015). A Sound Therapy-Based Intervention to Expand the Auditory Dynamic Range for Loudness among Persons with Sensorineural Hearing Losses: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Seminars in Hearing. Vol. 36 No. 2: 77–110. DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1546958. PMID: 27516711; PMCID: PMC4906300.

- Jastreboff, P. J., Ph.D., Sc.D., MBA (2021). Misophonia: History, Mechanisms, Treatment. Audiology Online.

- Jastreboff, P. & Jastreboff, M. (2014). Treatments for Decreased Sound Tolerance (Hyperacusis and Misophonia). Seminars in Hearing. Vol. 35 No. 2: 105–120. DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1372527.

Hearing Protection for Everyone!

There are many types of hearing protection on the market. But with all the advice, hearsay, advertisements, brands, and materials out there, it’s not always easy to make the right choices.

Thankfully, hearing health professionals are there to help you choose the right hearing protection for your needs.

Here are some solutions to consider to protect your precious ears!

Custom Earmolds

There are two types of custom earmolds: filtered and unfiltered. They’re suitable for different needs. If a worker needs to protect their ears but also must have conversations and stay alert to the noises around (for example, a foreman walking through a site), custom earmolds with filters are the best option. Filters are placed in small holes inserted in the ear canal part of the earmold. They allow you to understand some speech while still reducing the noise around you.

Unfiltered Earmolds

However, for a worker in a noisy environment and who wants to block out as much sound as possible, custom earmolds without filters may be a better choice. They block sounds better since they don’t have openings.

Custom earmolds can be made with a cord to help you remove them safely and keep them around your neck when you’re not using them.

A Good (and Protected) Ear for Music

For musicians, there are different types of filters inserted in the custom earmolds depending on the number of decibels that needs to be blocked (9 dB, 15 dB, or 25 dB). The instrument played is an important factor in the choice; after all, a cello player in a string quartet will usually have very different needs than a drummer in a heavy metal band. Musician’s earmolds allow them to keep playing normally, since the sound is reduced equally on all frequencies.

Custom Swimming Earmolds

There are also custom earmolds designed specifically for swimming. They’re made of a buoyant material, so they don’t get lost in the water (if taken out while listening to instructions). This type of earmold is highly recommended for children who are prone to external otitis (swimmer’s ear) or have benefited from transtympanic tube placement, or for people who have eardrum perforation. The custom mold creates an excellent seal. These earmolds are available in a variety of colours.

These earmolds are made from an impression of the external auditory canal to customize them and make sure they’re as comfortable and effective as possible. When the audioprosthetist or specialized educator hands them over, they’ll explain how to insert them and how to clean them before and after each use.

Can’t I Just Buy Something at the Pharmacy?

Custom earmolds differ in many ways from the foam, wax, or silicone earplugs you see at the pharmacy. As mentioned earlier, custom earmolds provide a much better seal and greater protection, since they block sounds better. Over-the-counter earplugs need to be shaped with the fingers before each use to fit the shape of the ear. This constant handling causes dirt to collect on the plugs, and that dirt then gets pushed into the ear. In addition, pushing the plug into the ear every time it is inserted could, over time, cause wax to be pushed back into the ear canal and create a blockage.

Talk to your audioprosthetist or specialized educator to learn more about your options for protecting your hearing.

Patrick Giroux Specialized educator practicing in Lévis

Earmuffs

Earmuffs are good for short-term use, especially in situations where the noise isn’t consistent (like when you’re starting up a table saw). They allow you to take them off and hang them around your neck as needed.

Earmuffs are usually adjustable and certain models can be used to help protect children’s hearing in loud environments, like at concerts. Many schools also provide them for students who have trouble concentrating during exams. Since they cover the entire ear, they effectively block out surrounding noise.

Earmuffs are available in the online store a boutique.lobe.ca/en