Nighttime Signs of Diabetes and Other Early Symptoms
Diabetes is a serious condition that often has no obvious early symptoms. Understanding its signs can help you take action early. Here are the signs that may appear at night and other early symptoms:
Nighttime Symptoms
- Frequent Urination: High blood sugar makes kidneys work harder. If they can’t handle the excess glucose, it’s excreted in urine, increasing urination and disrupting sleep.
- Night Sweats: Usually due to low blood sugar (nocturnal hypoglycemia) at night. Adjust medication and diet under a doctor’s supervision to manage it.
- Hypoglycemia Symptoms: Include sweating, trembling, increased hunger, confusion, blurred vision, and heart palpitations. Regularly monitor blood sugar and keep a balanced diet.
- Restless Legs Syndrome: High blood sugar can damage nerves (peripheral neuropathy), sending signals that make you want to move your legs constantly.
- Sleep Apnea: Frequent breathing pauses during sleep. Obesity and diabetes-related metabolic disturbances like insulin resistance are linked to it.
- Increased Thirst (Polydipsia): High blood sugar causes frequent urination and dehydration, leading to thirst. Control blood sugar with monitoring, diet, exercise, and medication.
- Fatigue: The body can’t use glucose for energy properly due to lack of insulin or insulin resistance. Manage it with physical activity, a healthy diet, and doctor check-ups.
- Dry Mouth (Xerostomia): High blood sugar reduces saliva production. Maintain oral hygiene, drink water, and use products to stimulate saliva.
- Sleep Disorders: Poor blood sugar regulation causes insomnia, with hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia disrupting sleep. Manage with medication, diet, exercise, and therapy.
Other Early Symptoms
- Darker Area of Skin (Acanthosis Nigricans): Dark, velvety patches on the neck, armpits, etc., may be a sign of prediabetes. Consult a doctor if you notice them.
- Unintentional Weight Loss: Even with increased appetite, weight loss occurs as cells can’t absorb glucose for energy.
- Blurred Vision: Elevated blood sugar affects the eye lens, causing vision problems. Don’t overlook it as it shows blood sugar regulation issues.
- Outbreak of Small Bumps (Eruptive Xanthomatosis): High triglyceride levels due to diabetes can cause yellowish bumps, often on buttocks, thighs, etc.
- Unusual Fatigue: Difficulty using insulin leads to trouble converting glucose to energy, causing tiredness.
- Heightened Thirst and Frequent Urination: As blood sugar rises, kidneys work harder, and excess sugar is excreted in urine. Symptoms get more noticeable as prediabetes progresses.
- Skin Tags: Benign growths that can be a sign of type 2 diabetes if there are many, often on eyelids, neck, etc.
- Slow Healing Cuts and Wounds: High blood sugar damages blood vessels, reducing circulation and slowing wound healing.
- Itchy Skin: Tingling and numbness in extremities may be due to nerve damage from high blood sugar (diabetic neuropathy), also causing burning sensations.