Disclaimer: The content of the article is for reference only, the storyline is purely fictional, intended to popularize health knowledge, if you feel unwell, please seek medical attention offline.
At a tertiary hospital in Shanghai, Dr. Li is adjusting the treatment plan for a diabetic patient.
The patient's name is Mr. Wang, 52 years old, and he is a bank manager. Although he is very restrained in his diet, his blood sugar has been frequently "out of control" recently, which makes him very distressed.
After carefully inquiring about his work and rest habits, Dr. Li found something "strange": it turned out that although Mr. Wang went to bed early and got up early, he always liked to eat supper and play with his mobile phone before going to bed, and he also developed a habit of drinking before going to bed.
"Mr. Wang's situation reflects the misunderstanding of many 'sugar friends' in sleep habits." "Some people think that as long as you 'keep your mouth shut' during the day, you can eat whatever you want at night.
As everyone knows, improper diet before going to bed will not only affect the quality of sleep, but also cause blood sugar fluctuations at night and increase the burden on pancreatic islets. In particular, alcohol consumption before going to bed is the main culprit of 'raising blood sugar'. "
So, how to "avoid" the "3 don'ts" in Dr. Li's mouth?
"The first is not to eat high-sugar foods, especially to be wary of certain 'hidden sugars'." Dr Lee explains, "Many 'sugar lovers' think that as long as they don't eat sweets, they don't know that some foods are not 'sweet', but their glycemic index is not low.
For example, staple foods such as white rice, bread, and potatoes, as well as certain fruits such as durian and red dates, are all 'sugar traps'. It is best to choose foods with a low glycemic index, such as milk, nuts, etc., before going to bed. "
58-year-old Ms. Zhao suffered a loss from "invisible sugar". She is a primary school teacher, and although she has been "averse" to sweets for many years, her blood sugar control is not ideal.
After the doctor found out, Ms. Zhao had to eat a large bowl of white rice porridge every night before going to bed, sometimes accompanied by a few red dates.
Although these foods are light, they do not have a low glycemic index. The doctor advised her to switch to multigrain porridge, with some vegetables and eggs, and her blood sugar quickly stabilized.
"The second is not to play with your phone, especially to avoid prolonged exposure to electronic screens."
Dr. Lee continued, "Nowadays, many people like to use their mobile phones and watch dramas before going to bed, but they don't know that doing so will inhibit melatonin secretion and affect sleep quality.
Lack of sleep, in turn, can interfere with insulin secretion, further exacerbating blood sugar fluctuations. Therefore, it is best to stay away from electronic devices before going to bed and do more relaxing activities, such as listening to music and soaking your feet. "
46-year-old Mr. Zhou is playing with his mobile phone to "play" high blood sugar. He is a sales manager, and due to the high pressure of work, he always likes to play with his mobile phone before going to bed to decompress.
But it didn't take long for his blood sugar to climb and he had symptoms of insomnia and dreams.
At the doctor's suggestion, he began to do yoga and chant sutras before going to bed, and his phone was locked in a drawer. Slowly, his sleep quality improved, and his blood sugar gradually stabilized.
"Finally, don't drink alcohol, even if it's a small amount of alcohol." Dr. Li said earnestly, "Many 'sugar friends' know that they should abstain from alcohol during the day, but they 'indulge' themselves at night and feel comfortable drinking before bedtime.
As everyone knows, alcohol stimulates insulin secretion, leading to low blood sugar at night; Long-term drinking will also increase the burden on pancreatic islets, which will eventually lead to uncontrolled blood sugar. Therefore, no matter day or night, 'sugar friends' must insist on not drinking alcohol. "
38-year-old Mr. Liu almost died of "drinking". He is a chef who has been diagnosed with diabetes for many years, but he is an "alcoholic" in private.
One night not long ago, he suddenly fell into a coma in the middle of the night, and after being sent to the hospital, it was found to be hypoglycemic shock. It turned out that he had drunk a lot of alcohol and fell asleep that day, which caused severe hypoglycemia.
The doctor warned him that if he continued like this, his life would be in danger at any time. Scared into a cold sweat, Mr. Liu vowed never to touch alcohol again.
"In fact, the key to the sleep management of 'sugar friends' is comprehensiveness and balance." Dr. Li concluded, "In addition to the 3 don'ts before going to bed, it is also necessary to go to bed early and get up early, and have a regular work and rest;
Sleep time should be sufficient, generally 7-8 hours; Don't do strenuous exercise before bedtime, but moderate activity can help you sleep;
The sleeping environment should be quiet and comfortable, not too bright or noisy...... Only by starting from all aspects of life can you truly achieve all-weather blood sugar control. "
Let's learn the wisdom of sleep management from the stories of Mr. Wang, Ms. Zhao, Mr. Zhou, and Mr. Liu, and be more scientific and less casual in the pursuit of health.
Perhaps, we don't need to be "drastic" about our lifestyle, but we must learn to focus on the subtleties and manage them carefully; Perhaps, we don't need to feel "difficult" on the road of sugar control, but learn to find the rhythm of life in the law;
Perhaps, we don't need to "talk about the color change" of diabetes, but learn to use a sunny attitude to light up the color of life......
I believe that as long as we illuminate the way forward with the light of science and embrace every day with optimism, we will be able to harvest the sweetest fruits on the road of "sugar control"!
The years are silent, and time is like an arrow. Let us walk hand in hand, learn from the "benevolence of doctors", and take care of patients with the concept of "whole-person health".