When blood sugar is too low, people may feel tired, fatigued, irritable, and have slow reactions. Research has also found that low blood sugar can strike during sleep, causing people to wake up from nightmares with a scream, covered in sweat, and find it difficult to fall back asleep.
Why is there a link between low blood sugar and nightmares?
Experimental research has confirmed that during sleep, the human body alternates between two stages: rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. REM sleep is also known as "dream sleep," as dreaming occurs during this stage. Studies show that during REM sleep, a person's neural activity increases and the synthesis of proteins in the brain accelerates. When blood sugar is low, the brain's energy supply is insufficient, protein synthesis is hindered, and this can lead to a prolongation of REM sleep. During this time, neural excitability increases, and nightmares are more likely to occur. Conversely, when blood sugar is normal, during sleep, protein synthesis, energy supply, and other processes are in a normal physiological state. REM and NREM sleep alternate in an orderly fashion, the nervous system is not overly excited, and therefore, nightmares are less likely to occur.
Carbohydrate-rich foods can correct low blood sugar. If you often have nightmares, you might try eating a few slices of bread or two small cookies before bed, or drinking a glass of sugar-sweetened milk. This may help reduce nightmares and improve your sleep quality.
It is worth mentioning that some diabetic patients have difficulty falling asleep and also experience frequent nightmares (a point that is often overlooked). This is often related to the fact that diabetic patients are prone to low blood sugar. Therefore, when a patient frequently experiences low blood sugar at night, it may be advisable to consider adjusting their medication or having a small snack before bed. Of course, these measures should be taken under the guidance of a doctor.