Welcome to the Sweet Spot!

Your weekly dose of practical tips, real talk, and encouragement to help you lower your blood sugar and feel better in your body, one simple step at a time.

Hi there Reader ,

I hope you had a restful weekend.

This week, I want to talk about one of the most overlooked, yet powerful, tools we have for managing Type 2 diabetes: sleep. We often focus so much on what we eat and how we move, but the quality of our rest can have a massive impact on our blood sugar levels.

Here’s a quick science breakdown for you: when we don't get enough quality sleep, our bodies release more of a hormone called cortisol, also known as the "stress hormone." Cortisol helps us wake up and deal with challenges, but too much of it—especially from lack of sleep (or stress)—can make our cells more resistant to insulin. This means it's harder for your body to move sugar out of your blood and into your cells, leading to higher blood sugar levels the next day.

Lack of sleep also throws off ghrelin, which is the hormone that tells you when you’re hungry. After a poor night’s sleep, ghrelin levels go up, making you feel hungrier than usual—especially for sugary and high-carb foods. That’s why it’s so easy to overeat on tired days, sending your blood sugar out of whack!

Have you ever noticed when you didn't sleep well or long enough, you are craving unhealthy food? Maybe that is just me LOL, at any rate, our body is out of balance and sends hormone signals that do not help blood sugar control.

So, sleep affects not just how you feel, but also how your body handles blood sugar and hunger—a real double-whammy for diabetes management.

It's a cycle that can be tough to break, but the good news is that small improvements in your sleep can lead to big wins for your health.

Try this simple hack this week:

Let's start with one simple change. For the next seven days, try to create a "digital sunset." This means putting away all screens—your phone, tablet, and TV—at least 30 minutes before you plan to go to sleep. The blue light from these devices can interfere with your body's natural production of melatonin, the hormone that tells your body it's time to rest. I love to use my reading glasses that block blue light in the evening.

Instead, use that time to read a book, listen to calming music, or do some gentle stretches.

Prioritizing your rest is a powerful act of self-care that directly supports your diabetes management. You've got this!

You've got this 💪
Stephanie
​The Diabetes Maven

P.S. Forward this email to a friend who says they need help managing Type 2 Diabetes We’re not about restriction—we’re about strategy.

Each week on Substack, I’ll be sharing real-life advice, blood sugar hacks, and personal stories to help you live well with diabetes—not just manage it.

🤩 This Week's Most-Read Posts

• ​5 Supplements Diabetics Shouldn’t Ignore​
• ​The “Natural Metformin” You’ve Probably Never Heard Of​
• ​Why Do We Become Insulin Resistant?​