9 Diabetes
Symptoms That May Be More Noticeable at Night
There isn’t a special set of symptoms that proves diabetes at night, but some effects of high blood glucose can become particularly noticeable during nighttime.
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Frequent nighttime urination — excess glucose can cause the kidneys to excrete more water.
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Excessive thirst — especially after repeatedly waking to urinate.
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Dry mouth — can accompany dehydration.
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Night sweats — particularly important in someone taking insulin or certain diabetes medicines because they can indicate low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). waking to urinate and drink water, or you’re experiencing unexplained weight loss, blurred vision, persistent infections, or marked
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Shaking, racing heart, or sudden hunger at night — also possible signs of hypoglycemia.
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Restless or disrupted sleep — blood-glucose fluctuations, thirst, urination, or neuropathy can interfere with sleep.
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Tingling, burning, or pain in the feet — diabetic peripheral neuropathy can be worse or more noticeable at night.
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Itching or recurrent infections — high glucose can contribute to certain skin or genital infections.
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Unexplained fatigue the next day — repeated nighttime symptoms can leave you poorly rested.
Don’t diagnose diabetes from symptoms alone
Many of these symptoms have other causes. A blood test is the reliable way to determine whether you have diabetes or prediabetes. Common tests include fasting blood glucose and HbA1c.
If you’re repeatedly waking to urinate and drink water, or you’re experiencing unexplained weight loss, blurred vision, persistent infections, or marked fatigue, arrange a medical evaluation.
If someone with diabetes becomes confused, extremely weak, unconscious, or unable to swallow, treat that as an emergency, particularly if low blood sugar is possible.
