When it comes to diabetes, information tends to focus on diet and exercise. But did you know the quality of your sleep is just as crucial as what you eat and how much you move?

You see, sleep problems and diabetes often go hand in hand. Diabetes is known to cause sleep loss. Now there’s evidence that poor sleep increases your risk of developing diabetes. Here’s how it works…

Your body uses sleep time to restore and repair muscle and tissue. Glucose is the food and energy to accomplish this. In order to reach the cells, it needs insulin to “transport” it around your body. All this works best when your body is completely relaxed. However, lack of good sleep hinders insulin production and as a result, glucose levels build up. Eventually it gets to the point where it harms your eyes, kidneys, nerves or heart.

Good quality sleep allows your body to do its best work; therefore getting enough of it every day is one of your best defenses against diabetes.