Some diabetes symptoms can become especially noticeable at night, but none of these signs by themselves proves that you have diabetes. The only way to diagnose diabetes is with appropriate blood testing.
9 possible nighttime signs
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Waking up repeatedly to urinate — high blood glucose can cause the kidneys to excrete more glucose and water.
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Strong thirst at night — increased urination can lead to dehydration and thirst.
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Night sweats — particularly in someone taking insulin or certain glucose-lowering medicines, this can sometimes indicate low blood sugar.
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Feeling unusually hungry — disrupted glucose use can contribute to increased hunger.
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Dry mouth — may accompany dehydration or high blood glucose.
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Itchy or dry skin — diabetes can contribute to skin problems, although there are many other causes.
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Tingling, burning, or numbness in the feet — diabetic nerve damage can cause symptoms that become more noticeable when resting at night.
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Leg cramps or unusual sensations — these can occur for many reasons, including nerve or circulation problems.
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Poor sleep or unusual fatigue — frequent urination, thirst, discomfort, or glucose fluctuations can interfere with sleep.
When to get tested
If you have several of these symptoms, particularly frequent urination and excessive thirst, it’s reasonable to ask a healthcare professional about testing. Common tests include fasting blood glucose and HbA1c.
If someone with diabetes develops confusion, severe weakness, vomiting, difficulty breathing, or becomes difficult to wake, seek emergency medical care.
And if you’re seeing a post claiming that nighttime symptoms are a specific “early warning” of diabetes, remember that many of these symptoms have other causes. Testing—not symptoms alone—is what establishes the diagnosis.
