Chapter 5: When Should You Check Your Blood Sugar?
Having one of these symptoms does not mean that you have diabetes.
That distinction is important because many of the symptoms associated with diabetes are also common in people who do not have the disease.
What matters is the combination, persistence, and severity of symptoms.
If you repeatedly experience several of the following—frequent nighttime urination, excessive thirst, unexplained fatigue, unusual hunger, blurred vision, recurrent infections, unexplained weight loss, or persistent tingling in the feet—consider speaking with a healthcare professional about diabetes testing.
Diabetes can be diagnosed with blood tests such as:
- A1C, which estimates average blood glucose over roughly the previous 2–3 months.
- Fasting plasma glucose, measured after an overnight fast.
- Oral glucose tolerance testing, which measures how the body handles a measured amount of glucose.
- Random plasma glucose, which may be used when classic symptoms are present.
Testing is much more reliable than trying to diagnose diabetes from symptoms alone.
It is also important to remember that type 2 diabetes can develop gradually, sometimes with few obvious symptoms. A person may feel relatively normal while blood glucose is already elevated.
On the other hand, symptoms such as severe thirst, very frequent urination, vomiting, abdominal pain, deep or rapid breathing, severe weakness, confusion, or loss of consciousness can indicate a serious metabolic emergency and require urgent medical care.
The Bottom Line
Nighttime symptoms can provide useful clues, but they are not a diagnosis.
If your sleep has recently changed because you are constantly thirsty, repeatedly visiting the bathroom, sweating unexpectedly, experiencing burning or tingling feet, or waking exhausted, don't automatically assume it is simply part of getting older.
Your body may be giving you information worth checking.
A simple blood glucose test and an A1C test can provide far more useful information than guessing from symptoms.
And if you already have diabetes, recurring nighttime symptoms may indicate that your glucose management needs to be reviewed with your healthcare team.
Pay attention to patterns, don't panic over a single symptom, and seek professional medical advice when changes persist.