Some symptoms associated with diabetes can be more noticeable at night. None of these symptoms alone confirms diabetes, but persistent or multiple symptoms are worth discussing with a healthcare professional.
9 possible nighttime signs
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Frequent urination at night — waking up repeatedly to urinate (nocturia) can occur when high blood glucose causes the kidneys to excrete more glucose and water.
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Excessive thirst — you may wake up feeling unusually thirsty or with a very dry mouth.
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Night sweats — particularly in people taking insulin or certain diabetes medications, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can cause sweating during sleep.
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Restless or disrupted sleep — fluctuations in blood glucose, thirst, or frequent urination can interfere with sleep.
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Morning headaches — nighttime hypoglycemia or sleep disruption can sometimes contribute to headaches upon waking.
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Tingling, burning, or numbness in the feet — diabetic nerve damage (neuropathy) can become especially noticeable when you’re resting at night.
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Leg cramps or unusual discomfort — nerve problems and other diabetes-related complications may contribute to nighttime leg symptoms.
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Itching or dry skin — elevated blood glucose can contribute to dehydration and skin dryness, although itching has many other possible causes.
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Blurred vision when waking or during the night — changes in blood glucose can temporarily affect the eye’s focusing ability.
The most useful next step if you’re concerned about diabetes is testing, such as an HbA1c or fasting blood-glucose test. If you’re experiencing severe thirst/urination, unexplained weight loss, vomiting, abdominal pain, confusion, or rapid/deep breathing, seek urgent medical care.
If you tell me which of these symptoms you’re experiencing and your age, I can explain what they may mean and which diabetes tests are appropriate.
