A doctor has issued a warning about five bedtime symptoms that might be early indicators of diabetes.
Diabetes is a chronic condition that causes high blood sugar levels over time. It is caused by the body being unable to use insulin, or not producing enough of it.
The condition can lead to a range of severe health issues; however, there are a number of early warning signs to look out for.
Dr Lott, who has more than 300,000 TikTok followers, often imparts health tips on the social media platform. In a recent video, he detailed “five warning signs of diabetes you may be experiencing every night”.
The first sign was “too many bathroom visits” during the night, with Dr Lott asking his viewers: “Are you waking up several times a night to pee?” This condition, called nocturia, arises when kidneys work hard to get rid of excess blood sugar.
The second symptom he highlighted was profuse “sweating at night”. With the body working hard to remove excess blood sugar at night, blood sugar levels can drop too low. This is known as nocturnal hypoglycaemia, and it leads to sweating as well as headaches.
The third sign was a “dry throat” or “dry cough”, especially if it disrupts sleep. Diabetes can lead to a dry throat due to a number of factors including dehydration caused by increased urination.
“Blurred vision when you’re trying to read before going to bed” was another symptom he highlighted. Elevated blood sugar levels can cause the eyes to swell and draw fluid from tissues, resulting in difficulty focusing. This blurry vision should dissipate once blood sugar levels normalise.
Lastly, Dr Lott mentioned that “post dinner hunger” could also indicate diabetes. This condition, known as diabetic hyperphagia, is due to insulin issues that hinder the body’s ability to utilise glucose for energy.
If you have concerns about diabetes, you should consult your GP. The NHS website states you should “visit your GP as soon as possible if you experience the main symptoms of diabetes”. It lists the main symptoms as:
- feeling very thirsty
- peeing more frequently than usual, particularly at night
- feeling very tired
- weight loss and loss of muscle bulk
- itching around the penis or vagina, or frequent episodes of thrush
- blurred vision