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How Undiagnosed Sleep Apnea Can Delay a Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis

July 17, 2025

How Undiagnosed Sleep Apnea Delays Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis

We often think of sleep as a time when the body rests and recharges. But what if your sleep is silently working against your health? For many Australians, undiagnosed sleep apnea is doing just that—masking the signs of type 2 diabetes and delaying critical treatment.

Sleep apnea is a common condition where your breathing repeatedly stops and starts during the night. It doesn’t always wake you fully, but it prevents deep, restorative sleep.1 Over time, these constant interruptions put your body into stress mode.2 Cortisol and adrenaline levels rise, your heart rate spikes, and your blood pressure increases.2 Most importantly, your body becomes less responsive to insulin, which directly affects how it controls blood sugar.3

This chain reaction can contribute to the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.3 But here’s the catch: the overlap of symptoms between sleep apnea and early diabetes—things like fatigue, irritability, poor concentration, and frequent night-time urination—can muddy the waters.4–6 Many people chalk these signs up to stress, ageing, or a busy lifestyle. Others get treated for one issue while the other goes unnoticed.

As a result, people living with both conditions may go months—or even years—without a diabetes diagnosis. By the time diabetes is finally detected, blood sugar levels may already be dangerously high, and complications could be setting in.

To make matters more complicated, sleep apnea doesn’t always present in obvious ways. You don’t have to be overweight or male to have it. Slim women, young adults, and even children can develop sleep apnea.1 Often, a partner will notice loud snoring, gasping, or pauses in breathing before the person experiencing it does.

The silver lining? Sleep apnea is highly treatable—and managing it can make a big difference to your overall health. CPAP therapy (a bedside device that gently blows air through a mask to keep your airway open) eliminates symptoms.7

If you’re constantly tired, waking with a dry mouth or headache, or your partner notices you snore or stop breathing during sleep, it’s worth investigating. A simple home sleep study can provide answers—and potentially change the course of your health.

Don’t ignore the signs. Speak to your doctor about getting assessed for sleep apnea. Early detection could be the key to staying ahead of diabetes and reclaiming restful, energising sleep.

How Sove CPAP Clinic Can Help

Founded in 2008, Sove CPAP Clinic has grown to become a leading provider of respiratory and sleep services and products in Australia, with over 60 clinics nationwide. Our comprehensive clinical team includes Respiratory & Sleep Specialists, Sleep Technologists, and CPAP Consultants, ensuring that you receive comprehensive and personalised care. All medical procedures, including sleep studies and lung function testing, are bulk billed to all Australians, with minimal wait time.

If you would like to speak to a Respiratory & Sleep Physician, book a bulk-billed sleep study, or seek advice for your sleep apnea, you can reach us at 1300 76 29 39 or info@thecpapclinic.com.au.

ALWAYS FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS FOR USE. CPAP is used for Obstructive Sleep Apnea treatment. When considering whether a sleep study or CPAP is right for you, speak to your doctor. Medicare criteria and T&Cs apply.

References

  1. Suni, Eric, and Abhinav Singh. “Sleep Apnea | National Sleep Foundation.” Sleepfoundation.org, 2019, www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-apnea.
  2. Trakada, Georgia, et al. “Sleep Apnea and Its Association with the Stress System, Inflammation, Insulin Resistance and Visceral Obesity.” Sleep Medicine Clinics, vol. 2, no. 2, June 2007, pp. 251–261, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsmc.2007.04.003.
  3. Ip, Mary S. M., et al. “Obstructive Sleep Apnea Is Independently Associated with Insulin Resistance.” American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, vol. 165, no. 5, 1 Mar. 2002, pp. 670–676, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11874812/, https://doi.org/10.1164/ajrccm.165.5.2103001.
  4. “Urological Manifestations of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea.” Australian Journal of General Practice, 2023, www1.racgp.org.au/ajgp/2023/september/urological-manifestations-of-obstructive-sleep-apn. Accessed 16 July 2025.
  5. Better Health Channel. “Sleep Apnoea.” Vic.gov.au, 2012, www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/sleep-apnoea.
  6. Better Health. “Diabetes.” Vic.gov.au, 2012, www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/diabetes.
  7. McCrimmon, Katie Kerwin, and UCHealth. “Overnight Cure for Poor Sleep: The Benefits of CPAP.” UCHealth Today, 2 June 2020, www.uchealth.org/today/benefits-of-cpap-for-sleep-apnea/.