Understanding the Connection Between Diabetes and Fatigue: Causes and Effective Management
If you've recently been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and one of your questions is, "Why do I feel tired all the time?", then you must read this post!
Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of diabetes. If you’re new to the diabetes community, maybe it was one of the warning signs you were developing the disease, leading you to the doctor. If you’ve been living with diabetes for a while, feeling overly tired could mean that your blood sugar is not being adequately controlled, and it’s time to speak with your diabetes physician about updating your diabetes management program.
Regardless, anyone living with diabetes needs to understand the relationship between the condition and fatigue. It’s so intrinsic that there’s a name for it – diabetes fatigue syndrome.
What is Diabetes Fatigue Syndrome?
Prolonged feelings of extreme exhaustion and lethargy distinguish Diabetes Fatigue Syndrome. It’s like having your energy completely zapped away, and it can wreak havoc on your quality of life, preventing you from enjoying certain activities and even impeding how well you adhere to your diabetes management program. After all, when we are exhausted, we don’t think as clearly or act as responsibly as we otherwise would.
Here’s another important thing about diabetes and fatigue. It almost always means that your blood sugar is not at a healthy level, and it’s time to make some adjustments.
Hyperglycemia and Fatigue
When blood sugar runs too high for too long, the body kicks into high gear to make insulin. However, if the pancreas cannot do so or the body can’t use the insulin properly to break down blood sugar, it starts feeding on fat to create the energy it needs. Not only is this dangerous and can lead to a potentially life-threatening condition known as ketoacidosis, but hyperglycemia can also cause intense fatigue.
Hypoglycemia and Fatigue
High blood sugar isn’t the only culprit of diabetes fatigue syndrome. Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, can also lead to feelings of exhaustion. When blood sugar dips too low or too rapidly, the body’s cells, which are already facing challenges transforming sugar into energy thanks to diabetes, have even less fuel to pull from to power the body. Did you know the organ that is most affected by low blood sugar is the brain? It is, and it is why when blood sugar drops too low, you will probably end up feeling run down.
Other Causes Of Fatigue
Other factors can cause fatigue, and many of them can be directly correlated to Type 2 diabetes, even if they are not intrinsically tied to blood sugar levels.
- Being inactive in general can contribute to fatigue. If you are not getting enough exercise (150 minutes per week, according to the American Diabetes Association), it can slow metabolism and reduce energy levels, leading to fatigue.
- Depression, which those living with diabetes have twice the risk of developing, can also contribute to fatigue, as can inconsistent sleep patterns, which are also very common among people with diabetes.
- Even certain medications to treat diabetes-related conditions, such as neuropathy (nerve damage), can cause prolonged drowsiness, which can resemble fatigue.
Still, when it comes to diabetes, chronic fatigue is usually related to blood sugar levels. The good news is working with your diabetes care team to make a few adjustments to your management program often gets things right back on track toward consistent blood sugar. The unusual fatigue usually subsides once blood sugar stabilizes in the target range.
Just Because You’re Tired Doesn’t Mean You’re Fatigued
Sometimes, we can get our heads wrapped up in a diabetes symptom or condition and believe we have a problem that we don’t. So, if you’re going about your day and notice feeling overly tired, don’t jump to the conclusion that you’re experiencing diabetes-related fatigue.
Tired are two very different conditions that are often used interchangeably. We all feel tired occasionally, whether living with diabetes or not. It might be due to a poor night’s sleep or a particularly exhausting day on the job. It might be that a gloomy gray day has you feeling a little sluggish. But here’s the big difference. Tired goes away.
If you’re feeling tired, usually a solid night of sleep will leave you waking up feeling refreshed and recharged. Sometimes, sneaking in a nice afternoon nap will do the trick and reignite your energy levels. The point is that feeling tired is solved with proper rest. Diabetes fatigue syndrome is a whole different story.
When you’re feeling fatigued due to inconsistent blood sugar levels, the feeling doesn’t go away no matter how much rest you get. The only thing that will help kick-start your energy is getting your blood sugar back under control.
I Feel Fatigued But Haven’t Been Diagnosed With Diabetes
Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms that coincides with the onset of diabetes. Others include:
- Unusual thirst that seems unquenchable
- Hungry all the time
- Frequent urination
- Slow healing cuts and sores
- Blurry vision
- Numbness or tingling in the feet and hands
- Chronic infections
If you experience prolonged fatigue, especially if you have any additional diabetes warning signs, it’s time to visit your physician. Diabetes can be diagnosed with a simple blood test in your doctor’s office, and the sooner you know you have the disease, the sooner you can start treating it and learning how to live with diabetes.
FAQs
Why do people with diabetes feel fatigued?
In most cases, diabetes fatigue syndrome is due to improperly controlled blood sugar. Both high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) and low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can cause fatigue. The fatigue usually dissipates once blood glucose levels are brought back into the target range.
Is fatigue a warning sign of diabetes?
Yes, fatigue is one of the more common signs of the onset of Type 2 diabetes. Others include frequent urination, extreme thirst and hunger, blurry vision, dry skin, and slow-healing sores. If you experience one or more of these signs, ask your doctor about taking a diabetes screening test.
What can I do to avoid fatigue?
If you are someone living with diabetes, the most important thing you can do is keep your blood sugar under control. If you are experiencing frequent highs or lows, speak with your endocrinologist about ways you might be able to gain better blood sugar control. Diet and exercise are also critical components of avoiding fatigue. A healthy diet and regular physical activity can help prevent diabetes-related fatigue syndrome.
Does blood sugar cause all diabetes-related fatigue?
While blood sugar is most often the culprit, other factors can also contribute to diabetes fatigue syndrome, including a lack of physical activity, depression and anxiety, poor sleep habits, and certain medications used to treat diabetes-related conditions.
Do you have any additional insights on diabetes fatigue syndrome? Please share them with our readers in the comment section below. Thanks, and stay diabetes healthy!
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