Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is a condition where the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells that make insulin (an important hormone). Because of this, little or no insulin is produced, which causes glucose levels to be elevated in the bloodstream. This then leads to multiple health issues with sometimes deadly consequences. Individuals with T1D will need to take insulin daily to stay alive. (1)
Sleep disturbances are common in individuals with T1D, so a study in 2020 was conducted to find out the efficacy of sleep-promoting interventions. The study took teenagers (n = 39) and had them randomized into two groups: the Usual Care group (n = 19) and the Sleep Coach group (n = 20). All participants wore devices to measure their sleep amounts, but the Sleep Coach group was given healthy sleep habit materials and three telephone coaching sessions (2).
The results were astounding; after three months, “80% of teens in the Sleep Coach group completed all three sessions, and retention was high (90%)… significant improvement in sleep efficiency and sleep duration was observed (48-minute increase) among teens randomized to the Sleep Coach intervention, and teens in the control group were 7.5 times more likely to report poor sleep quality after 3 months than intervention participants. No change in HbA1c was observed” (2).
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References:
(1) What is Type 1 Diabetes. Retrieved from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/what-is-diabetes/type-1-diabetes
(2) Jaser, S. S., Hamburger, E. R., Bergner, E. M., Williams, R., Slaughter, J. C., Simmons, J. H., & Malow, B. A. (2020). Sleep coach intervention for teens with type 1 diabetes: Randomized pilot study. Pediatric diabetes, 21(3), 473–478. https://doi.org/10.1111/pedi.12991