If you have type 2 diabetes, there’s another condition that you should know about: sleep apnea, a disorder in which people experience pauses in their breathing throughout the night, possibly for one minute or more. That’s a problem, since sleep apnea can worsen diabetes symptoms and lead to problems like high blood pressure, heart disease, or even stroke. The combination of type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea could also result in blindness.

References

Einhorn, Daniel, MD. “The Connection Between Sleep Apnea & Diabetes,” Physician’s Weekly (November 24, 2014). https://www.physiciansweekly.com/connection-between-sleep-apnea-diabetes/ (accessed on 8/3/2020).

Harris, Andrea, RN, and Sue Cotey, RN. “Sleep Apnea Can Make Managing Diabetes More Difficult: What You Need To Know,” Health Essentials (April 23, 2019). https://health.clevelandclinic.org/sleep-apnea-can-make-managing-diabetes-more-difficult-what-you-need-to-know/ (accessed on 8/3/2020).

University of Birmingham. “Sufferers of both type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea could lose eyesight within four years,” Science Daily (July 3, 2017). https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/07/170703120936.htm (accessed on 8/3/2020).