Does diabetes make you tired? Check Out Why !

Many people have diabetes but don’t know it. That’s why the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that most adults begin diabetes screening at age 35. The ADA advises diabetes screening before age 35 for those who are overweight and have additional risk factors for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.

Testing for diabetes also should take place for anyone who has early symptoms of diabetes. But those symptoms aren’t always easy to notice. In fact, symptoms can develop so slowly that people may have type 2 diabetes for years before they’re diagnosed with the disease.

Sometimes we all feel lethargic, tired, or fatigued, and the reason, we all think it is because of a heavy workload, stress, or sleepless nights, but the main reason can be diabetes.

If someone has very high or very low diabetes that is not properly managed, they can feel tired all the time, even without doing anything.

Fatigue is a symptom that’s often associated with the condition. There are many possible causes, including everything from diabetes-related complications to underlying conditions. Simply managing diabetes on a daily basis can zap your energy from time to time. However, the most common cause, by far, is uncontrolled blood glucose, says Joel Zonszein, MD, director of the Clinical Diabetes Center at the University Hospital of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Health System in the Bronx, New York.

Many people say that they feel super tired after having diabetes, and it does not matter what type of diabetes you have; you can feel tired.

If you are also a diabetic patient and feel tired all the time, so this content will give you a lot of knowledge about this issue and a way of solving it.

Why Does Diabetes Cause Fatigue?

There are many reasons why diabetes can cause fatigue, including:

• changes in blood sugar levels
• other diabetes symptoms and complications
• medication side effects
• mental and emotional issues from diabetes
• being overweight

What are the top symptoms of tiredness in diabetes?

Knowing the basic symptoms of tiredness when you have diabetes can help identify if your disease’s management is going well or not.

• Diabetic patients suddenly feel fatigued every day without any specific reason, so it means their sugar level is imbalanced.

• If someone is doing nothing the whole day and even getting a good hour of sleep but still feels tired, something is wrong with their body.

• Most diabetic patients feel tired in the morning, which also says that it is tiredness because of diabetes.

Why do people feel tired of diabetes?

Fatigue symbolizes different things, and one of them is high glucose in the blood. When the amount of glucose gets high in the blood, which means the body cannot take much glucose to use as energy, and it results in tiredness.

The other reason can be the effect of diabetes medicine. Sometimes some medicine acts differently on different bodies and makes them feel tired or lack energy.

If diabetes is managed properly, it means the person’s diet and sleep schedule are not going well, or the person is suffering from any other disease.

Some diabetes complications can also be a reason for feeling tired, like kidney diseases, heart problems, and damage to the nerves, and myopathy.

What causes people with Diabetes too Tired?

The fatigue experienced by individuals with diabetes can be attributed to two primary factors: having excessively high or low blood sugar levels.

In both situations, the tiredness arises from an imbalance between the level of blood glucose and the effectiveness or quantity of circulating insulin in the body.

If you find yourself feeling tired during the day, even after a good night’s sleep, it may be a consequence of either high or low blood sugar levels.

To determine whether the fatigue is indeed linked to high or low sugar levels, it is crucial to regularly test your blood glucose levels, especially for those who are on insulin therapy. This monitoring is particularly essential for managing diabetes effectively.

Also Read : Best Diabetes Diet to Control Sugar Cure it

Tips for Managing Diabetes:

1. Monitor blood sugar regularly.
2. Follow a balanced diet, avoid sugary foods.
3. Stay physically active.
4. Take medications as prescribed.
5. Attend regular medical checkups.
6. Control blood pressure and cholesterol.
7. Maintain a healthy weight.
8. Manage stress effectively.
9. Quit smoking and limit alcohol.
10. Educate yourself about diabetes.

Work with your healthcare team for personalized guidance and support.

Tiredness and high Blood Sugar Levels:

Fatigue and Elevated Blood Sugar Levels

When blood glucose levels rise, it’s often due to either inadequate insulin production, which is typical in type 1 diabetes, or the ineffectiveness of insulin, which is common in type 2 diabetes.

Insulin plays a crucial role in transporting glucose from the bloodstream into our cells, providing them with the energy they require.

However, when there is insufficient insulin or it doesn’t function effectively, the sugar in our blood is unable to enter the cells, leading to an energy deficit. Consequently, we experience fatigue and tiredness as our cells do not receive the necessary energy to function optimally.

How to treat diabetes fatigue

There are many things a diabetic patient can do to cure their tiredness, but here is a list of the most popular ones:

• Visit a healthcare provider: Before doing anything yourself, take advice from your doctor. Talk to the doctor if you are managing your diabetes properly but are still feeling tired. Doctors suggest some good energetic medicines that also do not harm your body or affect your diabetes.
• Manage diabetes: The common reason for extreme tiredness is unmanaged diabetes because it makes sugar super low or high. Try to manage your diabetes all the time so your body can function properly and take energy from the food you eat.
• Weight Loss and Diabetes: Frequent urination in diabetes leads to the loss of both sugar and calories from the body, resulting in rapid weight loss. This effect is particularly noticeable in individuals with type 1 diabetes, but it can also occur in some people with type 2 diabetes.
• Interestingly, individuals who are newly diagnosed with diabetes may experience initial weight gain due to improved hydration. However, as the sugar loss in urine decreases over time, weight gain may become a concern unless preventive measures are implemented. Managing blood sugar levels and adopting a healthy lifestyle can help maintain a balanced weight in the long term.

• Try different exercises: Many people suggest doing exercise to make them feel active the whole day, and it helps in managing diabetes. Try exercises like bicep exercises, marches, leg lifts, and abdominal crunches. Start this exercise by starting some small goals every day, and then go for bigger ones.

• Start with small changes: If someone does heavy exercise or follows a heavy schedule on the first day, they can end up being more tired. Set some small goals and increase them each day. You can also ask your friend to be a partner in the daily exercise.

• Make yourself productive: Sometimes our minds fool us too. Try to be a productive human by following your healthy daily routine. Do all the activities you want to do, even if your mind is telling you not to do any particular healthy activity.

Managing tiredness and high blood sugar after meals

If tiredness is accompanied by high blood glucose levels after meals, it can indicate one or more of the following:

• The carbohydrate you are eating is too quick acting for you medication to cope with
• You are eating too much carbohydrate for your medication/dosage
• Your medication/dosage is not strong enough

Must Read to Cure Tiredness : Top 10 Exercises for Diabetic Patients & Benefits

Symptoms of Diabetes:

While not all symptoms directly account for fatigue, they can collectively contribute to an overall feeling of being unwell. Such persistent and uncomfortable sensations can have significant mental and physical effects, ultimately leading to the development of fatigue.

In addition, certain symptoms of diabetes can disrupt a person’s sleep patterns. For instance, individuals with diabetes may experience frequent awakenings during the night to use the bathroom or quench their thirst. As a result, people with type 2 diabetes have a higher risk of developing sleep disorders.

Moreover, discomfort in the limbs, hands, and feet may pose challenges for individuals with diabetes to both fall asleep and maintain a restful sleep throughout the night. These disturbances can exacerbate feelings of fatigue and impact overall well-being.

Other Diabetes Symptoms:

Fatigue is merely one of several signs that may indicate diabetes. If you experience fatigue along with the following symptoms, it is crucial to discuss these concerns with your healthcare provider and consider getting tested for diabetes:

1. Frequent urination
2. Constant thirst and/or hunger
3. Blurry vision
4. Numbness or tingling in hands or feet
5. Dry skin
6. Slow-healing sores
7. Chronic infections

Being aware of these symptoms and seeking timely medical attention can help with early detection and proper management of diabetes.

Adverse Effects of Diabetes Medications:

Diabetes medications come in various classes, each functioning differently to stabilize blood sugar levels. Some of these medications may have side effects, including fatigue.

The primary purpose of diabetes medication is to lower high blood sugar. However, if it effectively lowers blood sugar to an excessive extent, it can lead to hypoglycemia—a condition where blood sugar levels become too low. Chronic hypoglycemia can result in feelings of fatigue.

It is crucial for your healthcare provider to conduct regular bloodwork to monitor for such occurrences. However, if you experience persistent fatigue, it’s essential to communicate this to your healthcare provider. It may indicate the need to adjust your medication dosage to achieve a better balance and alleviate fatigue.

Final Thought:

All the points that we discussed are about what it looks like to be a tired person with diabetes or about whether diabetes actually causes tiredness in the body or not. Always follow all the tips after the doctor’s advice because some little things can make the health condition worse. Do not take the tiredness symptom lightly because it can make your healthy lifestyle imbalanced, and search for the best solution to become productive again.