You’re here because you want to know the answer: does diabetes make you tired?
And furthermore – what causes diabetes fatigue? Why does it happen?
Fatigue is something that can really take its toll on a person and on everyone in their life – including family and friends.
It’s an awful position to be in to not have the energy to spend time playing with your children, or feel like you don’t have enough energy to do what you want to do.
more: The 9 Biggest Reasons You’re Tired All The Time
And having to make decisions like not driving medium distances because you’re afraid of getting too tired is a terrible decision to have to make.
So, to answer the question…
Yes, Diabetes Can Make You Tired
Fatigue and feeling tired are extremely common symptoms of diabetes. They’re caused by a buildup of glucose in the blood, leading to slowed circulation and feelings of fatigue or sluggishness. In addition, when your blood sugar is low, your body doesn’t have enough fuel to run properly – leaving you feeling exhausted and fatigued. Even worse, high blood glucose can cause inflammation of your blood vessels – constricting them and limiting circulation, which can make you feel tired and fatigued as well.
Is My Fatigue Definitely From Diabetes?
Not necessarily. There are many other causes of fatigue that could be contributing to how you’re feeling.
Both lifestyle factors and medical conditions can lead to fatigue.
For instance, the simplest cause of fatigue is lack of sleep – or lack of quality sleep. If you’re not getting enough quality sleep, then even if you’re in perfect health you’re going to be feeling fatigue and exhausted.
Along the same lines, if you’re running yourself ragged and spreading yourself too thin across many different projects and responsibilities, it could definitely contribute to fatigue and exhaustion.
more: Diabetes Fatigue Might Be Why You’re Tired All The Time
Work schedules also contribute directly to fatigue – especially if you’re working overnight or against normal waking hours. If you’re working a ton of hours it will also cause fatigue and tiredness.
Compounding on that, if you’re keeping yourself up and about by drinking coffee or energy drinks for the caffeine, it could come back to bite you. Too much caffeine could actually make you more tired and leave you way behind the eight ball when it comes to energy.
If your body isn’t getting what it needs you will feel exhausted and fatigued. Whether you’re eating too many processed foods and not enough whole foods for their nutrients, or you’re not keeping hydrated, your fatigue could be your body asking for better nourishment.
more: What Causes Fatigue During Exercise?
What Are Other Medical Causes Of Fatigue?
On the other hand, there are a host of medical conditions that also lead directly to fatigue and feelings of exhaustion.
To start out, hypothyroidism is a condition that affects many people – and is especially prevalent in those with diabetes. One of the major symptoms is fatigue and feeling tired. (1)
Another condition that causes fatigue is heart disease – your body has trouble getting oxygenated cells to the parts that need them most. (2) Talk to your doctor if you suspect you might have heart disease.
more: 9 Strange Reasons You’re Tired All The Time
Anemia is a condition that’s extremely easy to test for and easily correctable – so if you feel tired all the time this is an excellent place to start looking. It’s usually caused by a lack of iron in your diet – and one of the major symptoms is tiredness that doesn’t seem to go away. (3)
Depression and stress also directly contribute to a feeling of exhaustion and fatigue. If you’ve been stressed out for a long time and feel exhausted, or you feel you’re suffering from depression, both could be major contributors to a lack of energy. (4)
Proper sleep is crucial to feeling awake, alert, and energetic. One of the things that detracts from proper sleep but often goes undiagnosed is sleep apnea. If you feel exhausted even after a full night’s sleep, sleep apnea could definitely be the culprit. (5)
more: How To Tell If You’re Too Tired: Signs Of Chronic Fatigue
Fatigue and exhaustion can also be caused by an infection in your body. It’s possible to have an infection without even knowing about it – like a uti. You can experience no symptoms from a uti except for feeling tired and worn out. (6)
Chronic fatigue syndrome is a condition that causes fatigue. Doctors don’t know what causes it, and there’s no known test for it –the way that doctors diagnose it is by ruling out other conditions. (7)
As you can see, there are many factors both medical and non-medical besides diabetes that can cause fatigue. If you’re feeling worn out and tired all the time, please talk to your doctor – they will work with you to get to the bottom of what’s causing your fatigue.
i’ll share this to my mom who has diabetes. thanks for these posts, they’re a lot helpful than the others.
i am diabetic and i’ve always known that my condition is not the primary culprit whenever i feel tired. i blame it to my crazy work schedule.
i’m not diabetic at all but i think this information serves as a warning for everyone. i’m loving your articles, they’re really informative! i hope you get to write more.
these are very interesting info. i feel more enlightened now about diabetes fatigue. you have a good web site! keep it up!
this is just so informative. i appreciate articles like this because they’re really full of great content.
i agree that both medical conditions and lifestyle factors can lead to fatigue. tiredness can also be a result of stress, lack of decent sleep and hard work. we must take care of our body because if our health fails, it will overshadow everything that is going on in our life.
diabetes can definitely make you feel tired. i know this because my mom has diabetes but has been feeling better since. i’m glad we discovered early.
yah,, fatigue is really one of the general symptoms associated with poorly controlled sugar. appreciate you sharing this informational article. i really learned a lot more about diabetes.
i believe this to be true. i have an uncle who has diabetes and he’s tired all the time.
i am tired of my diabetes! my daily to-do list seems like a lot because of it! i think i really need to pay attention to what really stresses me out so i could deal with it easily.
i always come back to this website to see new posts about health and nutrition. an article like this is very helpful. keep rocking!
i have rotating shifts and it really makes me very tired. my body clock is messed up and i find it very hard to sleep. hope this will end.
i am diabetic and whenever i eat too much carbs or sugar, i feel tired and sleep. i guess i should track my carbohydrate intake at each meal.
see..not everything is about diabetes. Read this post and you will know that there are many other causes of fatigue that could be contributing to how you’re feeling.
this diabetes is really leaving me feeling exhausted and fatigued. i just want to lay down and sleep most of the time.
i am too tired of being tired! i suffer from diabetes and i find myself always talking about how tired i am. i am so thankful i found an article where i can get information on what can be done to gain my energy back.
feeling fatigued is definitely a symptom of diabetes but it can also be a sign for other diseases. it is important to your doctor about the symptoms you are having for early prevention.
i am in perfect health but i sometimes, i feel fatigued and exhausted. i guess i am not getting enough quality sleep. should do something about it.
i am in good health but i always feel tired. it is probably because of my crazy work schedule
i suffer from diabetes fatigue but i know how to boost my energy levels. i do regular exercise and combine it with a healthy diet and a good night’s rest.
now i am aware of what causes diabetes fatigue. it is always great to learn new things especially when the topic is about health. i am looking forward for more articles like this.
i am aware of this already. i love reading posts about health and diabetes so i am well informed of what causes diabetes fatigue.
i am not diabetic but i always feel tired. if too much caffeine can make me tired, then i am willing to drink tea instead of coffee.
now i can pinpoint the real reason why i am always dragging. sometimes, the emotional toll of dealing with diabetes can be what’s behind my fatigue.
i am really devoted to providing my body the nutrition it needs to avoid fatigue. time to get rid of processed foods and say hello to drinking at least 8 glasses of water every day.
i enjoy reading all your articles! i don’t have diabetes but it is always good to learn something new. i also have friends who suffer from this condition and i am happy to share with them what i’ve learned from your wonderful post.
wow, i realized my fatigue may not be caused by diabetes at all! i have to start evaluating myself for other possible causes.
today, i learned a lot about diabetes fatigue. thank you for this excellent article. living with this disease can be very tiring. so it is best to know how i could manage it.
i agree with your article. people with diabetes are often fatigue and it is very disabling. it is good to have some ideas on how to overcome this.
diabetes and fatigue can really make a person’s life difficult. it is crucial to know the ways to beat and reduce the risk of living with diabetes and fatigue. articles like these are really a great help.