Always Tired? Could Diabetes Be the Reason?

Feeling constantly tired can significantly affect your life, from your productivity at work to your time with family and friends. If you are frequently tired, you should dig deeper into the underlying cause.
One of the reasons for it could be Diabetes Mellitus.
Let’s understand how Diabetes might be linked to your tiredness and how getting the right support can make a difference. So, before we move further into this blog, we just want to tell you that at Fitterfly, our team of Psychologists is here to help. We understand that tiredness isn’t just about your body it could also be the stress, worry, or sleepless nights that come with managing diabetes.
Our experts are here to listen, understand what you’re going through, and guide you with simple steps to feel better. Maybe booking a session with them today is the best thing you’ll do for yourself!
Understanding Diabetes
To understand that, we first need to know what happens in Diabetes. Diabetes is when the glucose levels in your blood exceed the usual.
This happens because your body is either not producing enough insulin or isn’t using insulin effectively.
Insulin is crucial because it helps glucose enter your cells to be used for energy. Without enough insulin, glucose is in your blood, leading to high blood sugar levels.
Why Does Diabetes Make You Tired?
1. Your Body’s Energy Problem
When you have Diabetes, your body struggles to convert food into energy. This is because either your body can’t make enough of insulin or it can’t use it right.
Insulin is the hormone that helps the sugar from food get into your cells to give you energy. Without enough insulin working correctly, the sugar stays in your blood, and your cells don’t get the energy they need.
This can tire you because your body isn’t getting the fuel to keep going.
2. Too Much Sugar, Not Enough Water
When there’s too much sugar in your blood, your body might start using stored fat instead of sugar to create energy. However, this is a more challenging process for the body to do, so it makes you feel even more tired.
Also, it tries to get rid of the excess sugar by making you urinate more. This can cause you to lose too much water, making you dehydrated and feel thirsty and tired.
3. Diabetes Clubbed with Other Conditions
Feeling excessively tired could also be because you might have other autoimmune issues for example, hypothyroidism along with diabetes. Hypothyroidism happens when your body doesn’t have enough thyroid hormones, causing fatigue.
And when you have both conditions, it can make you feel even more tired.
Is there a specific Age when someone is most likely to develop Diabetes?
The answer is NO!
Previously, around 35 years of age was considered the benchmark for checking blood sugar levels. However, nowadays, factors like genetics, environment, stress, and unhealthy lifestyles have blurred the age boundaries for Type 2 diabetes.
It can occur as early as your 20s, 30s, or even in your 40s.
So, if you’re in your 40s and haven’t noticed any symptoms or gotten tested, it’s never too late! You should get checked for diabetes now.
Similarly, if you’re as young as 20-25 or around 30 but often feel fatigued, have a family history of diabetes, and struggle with obesity, it’s crucial to get your blood sugars tested.
The reason why Type 2 diabetes is common around the age of 35 is because any one or multiple of these could start around this time:
- Insulin resistance increases
- Insulin secretion reduces
- Sedentary lifestyles leading to weight gain
Symptoms & Signs to Watch Out For, Indicating Diabetes (Apart From Tiredness)
Besides constant tiredness, other signs that might indicate Diabetes include:
1. Increased thirst and urination
Your body’s attempt to flush out excess sugar can lead to dehydration, making you feel thirsty more often.
2. Unexplained weight loss
When your body can’t get energy from glucose, it starts burning fat and muscle for fuel, leading to weight loss.
3. Blurry vision
High blood sugar levels can cause fluid to be pulled from your lenses, affecting your ability to focus.
4. Slow healing of cuts and wound
High sugar levels can impair blood circulation and affect your body’s natural healing process.
What Can You Do If You Are Constantly Tired?
If these symptoms sound familiar, it’s essential to consult your doctor. They will advise specific tests to diagnose Diabetes. If you’re diagnosed, lifestyle modification for managing your condition involves:
1. Healthy Eating
Eating right is vital to managing blood sugar, but we get that it can be complicated. That’s where our nutrition experts at Fitterfly come in.
We start by looking at your Personalized Glycemic Reports to see how different foods impact your blood sugar. Then, we tailor your diet to better suit your needs.
Interested in knowing how we can help you with our scientifically backed Diabetes and Weight Loss Program? Just give us a missed call at 08069450746, and we’ll show you how simple it can be.
2. Regular Exercise
Regular Exercise helps your body use insulin more effectively and lowers blood sugar levels. Do any exercise you enjoy—walking, jogging, dancing, swimming—anything that moves your body.
3. Sleep and Stress
Sleep and stress hugely impact your blood sugar levels. Get your 7-8 hours of undisturbed sleep every day.
Track down your source of stress and try to reduce it. You can also try yoga or meditation.
4. Monitoring Your Blood Sugar
Keeping track of your levels will help you manage your condition better.
5. Medication
The right medication can help control blood sugar levels if necessary.
We urge our readers not to ignore constant tiredness—it could be a lingering health issue. Acting early can improve your health and how you feel.
If Diabetes is causing your fatigue, we offer comprehensive diabetes management to tackle your tiredness. Call us at 08069450746 for help.
We’ll take a quick pause here to remind you—there’s no bravery in simply ‘going through’ a mentally stressful phase. True bravery lies in reaching out, opening up, and talking to someone who can help. Book a 1:1 consult with our expert psychologists—it might just be the best thing you do for yourself.
This blog provides general information for educational and informational purposes only and shouldn't be seen as professional advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is tiredness related to diabetes?
Tiredness with diabetes, also known as diabetes fatigue, stems from the body's inability to convert glucose into energy efficiently due to lack of glucose utilization or insufficient insulin production.
Why does diabetes cause fatigue?
Diabetes and weakness often coincide due to the body's struggle to use glucose for energy properly. Without sufficient insulin, cells lack the fuel they need, leading to diabetes fatigue.
What other conditions can exacerbate tiredness in diabetes?
Besides diabetes, there are other conditions like hypothyroidism, Sleep Apnea, Anemia, Depression and Anxiety, Chronic Kidney Disease, Peripheral Neuropathy, Heart Disease, and Chronic Pain Conditions can compound fatigue. When combined with diabetes, these conditions can intensify tiredness and exhaustion.
What are the symptoms of diabetes besides tiredness?
In addition to fatigue, symptoms of diabetes may include increased thirst and urination, unexplained weight loss, blurry vision, and slow wound healing.
How can I manage fatigue associated with diabetes?
Managing fatigue with diabetes involves maintaining a healthy lifestyle through proper nutrition, regular exercise, adequate sleep, stress management, monitoring blood sugar levels, and medication as prescribed by healthcare providers.
How can Fitterfly assist with diabetes management and tiredness?
Fitterfly offers personalized glycemic reports and scientifically backed programs for diabetes and weight loss management, including nutrition guidance and lifestyle interventions. Contact us at 08069450746 for assistance