Importance of Sleep and Kidney Disease

Kidney disease is clearly a big issue as it affects your body’s ability to cleanse the blood of toxins. While many factors can influence your chances of developing kidney disease, there are also lots of things that might worsen the problem if it already exists. 

Sleep and Kidney Disease

Believe it or not, sleep has a strong connection to kidney disease. In short, there are countless reports and studies that suggest people with inadequate sleep will see more kidney problems. In patients already suffering from kidney disease, it is believed that poor-quality sleep can worsen the condition a lot faster than normal. 

In this post, we explore this idea in more detail and explain the link between sleep and your kidneys. 

Kidney Function Is Regulated By Your Sleep Cycle

One doctor working for the National Kidney Foundation has been conducting studies on how sleep impacts the kidneys. Through his research, he discovered that kidney function is regulated by the sleep-wake cycle. Sleeping and following a regular sleeping pattern can help coordinate the kidney’s workload across a full day. 

Consequently, if your sleep is disrupted or you don’t sleep as much as you should, it changes the way your kidneys work. They are unable to work at peak efficiency because your body isn’t getting enough hours of sleep. 

Poor Sleep Leads To Worsening Kidney Disease

Sleep becomes extremely important in people already suffering from kidney disease. One study at the University of Illinois found that individuals with kidney disease are likely to see a faster decline in their kidney function when suffering from poor sleep. The same study then adjusted sleeping patterns to give people more sleep, finding that each hour of sleep decreased the chances of kidney failure by 19%. 

Furthermore, another study indicated that sleeping problems - such as insomnia - can raise the risk of kidney disease. Participants in the study were shown to have 1.5 times higher risk of kidney decline, and a 2.4% risk of kidney failure - when compared to the general population. 

The Importance Of A Good Sleeping Pattern

What these studies show is that there is a definite link between poor sleep and kidney failure. A lack of sleep - on a constant basis - can increase the likelihood of your kidney function failing, leading to kidney disease. Moreover, if you already suffer from kidney disease, the likelihood of it getting worse will increase when you don’t get enough sleep. 

Thus, it is extremely important that you focus on adopting a good sleeping pattern. Here are some tips to help you out: 

• Create a nightly routine that sees you go to bed and wake up at around the same time every day/night
• Avoid caffeine after 4 pm 
• Try to avoid drinking anything before bed or you will wake up needing to urinate
• Avoid screens for at least half an hour before you sleep
• Make your room as dark as possible
• Use a white noise machine or another sleeping device to play calming sounds if you struggle to fall asleep
• See a doctor for a sleeping disorder diagnosis if you think you have one, then work with your doctor to treat it

Fundamentally, you need to get lots of sleep every night to let your kidneys function correctly. If you suspect that you’re suffering from chronic kidney disease or any other kidney issues, don’t hesitate to contact Kidney360 today. We provide qualified physicians who are experts in the kidneys and can help you treat the problem. 

Author

Uday Khosla, MD Uday M. Khosla, MD, is board certified in nephrology and hypertension and has served as a Houston kidney consultant since 2004. He currently practices as a renal specialist at Kidney360 - a nephrology practice located in Houston, TX serving the greater Katy, Sugar Land, Channelview, Pearland, Montrose, Downtown Houston, and Spring areas. Dr. Khosla is available as a kidney consultant in various settings, including in-hospital, outpatient clinics, outpatient dialysis, and home care.