Studies have proven that in diabetic patients, hypoglycemia (a drastic drop in blood glucose levels) during the night can lead to nightmares.
When blood sugar levels reach a certain point, the brain will do whatever it has to do to get glucose back into the bloodstream, including creating an adrenaline or fear response. The way the human brain triggers this response is to show the mind's nighttime theater a few nightmares.
Vivid, terrifying nightmares will flood the body with cortisol and adrenaline, which draws glucose out of storage in muscle cells and into the blood stream. The individual might wake up, cry out, or find the bedclothes drenched with sweat - these are all symptoms of nocturnal hypoglycemia.
More Studies Necessary for Insulin Resistant Patients
While this is well documented in cases of patients with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, it is not sufficiently documented for patients with pre-diabetic conditions like insulin resistance. For patients with Type 1 diabetes, it is actually common to have increased blood sugar in the morning, rather than low blood glucose levels.
While some studies have shown that restless sleep can increase cortisol levels (contributing to belly fat), and others even show that insomnia can increase insulin resistance, very few studies remark upon the instance of hypoglycemic nightmares for insulin resistant patients.
Weight Gain, Insulin Resistance and Nightmares, a Vicious Cycle
Insulin resistance can be managed and reversed, but most patients with this condition find that they have a threshold weight. When they maintain their weight at or below this threshold, it is easy to control insulin resistance with diet and exercise. If the pounds creep over that threshold, they find themselves on a fast-track weight gain cycle that seems out of control.
Insulin resistance is a cause for weight gain (blood glucose unable to be absorbed into resistant cells is stored as fat). It is also enough to knock blood sugar regulation out of whack, and without management can cause night-time dips in blood sugar that cause nightmares.
Nightmares create a stress response, disrupt sleep quality (increasing insulin resistance), trigger stress hormones that cause additional storage of fat (increasing weight and trouble with insulin resistance), and eventually can cause adrenal fatigue, one of the symptoms of which is disrupted sleep.
Break the Cycle by Eating a Low-Glycemic Bedtime Snack
In order to break this cycle of weight gain, increased resistance to insulin (and eventual onset of Type 2 diabetes), and chronic nightmares, the solution is surprisingly easy to do: eat a snack before bed.
The old wives' remedy of a glass of milk or warm milk before bed is actually ideal. Calcium helps people sleep, the protein, fat and carbohydrates found in milk make it slow to absorb and digest, meaning that they will hang out in the blood stream longer than a simple sugar or carbohydrate would.
Peanut butter - rich in protein, fat and fiber - is another great bedtime snack. Melted and drizzled over a small cup of ice cream, stirred into a tiny portion of oatmeal, or slathered on a slice of whole wheat toast, peanut butter can help blood sugar control.
Of course, this trick won't solve chronic nightmares for everyone, nor does it promise weight loss. However, it is a simple solution to a complex problem, particularly for those insulin resistant patients who are aware of their diet and exercise habits and seem to be "doing everything right", and still can't lose weight.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.
Alicia King - Alicia King has been writing for Suite 101 since June of 2007. For over a year, she was the Featured Writer for the Suite section about ...
