This Is How You Should Manage Fatigue When You Are A Diabetic

If you are a diabetic, you will often be exhausted, tired and lethargic during the day. The fact is that dealing with this ailment on a daily basis can be arduous simply because the daily to-do list is endless. But that’s not the primary cause of your burnt-out state.

Why Are You So Tired?

 

 
Dog-tired during the day even when you slept well at night? The most likely cause of your fatigue is your fluctuating blood sugar level. When you are having low or high blood sugar levels, your body responds to the imbalance between the level of blood glucose and the circulating insulin.

It’s best to also remember that diabetes impacts the entire body, e.g.: Kidneys which can add to the exhaustion and since there’s also evidence of diabetes and depression, the latter of being one of the primary cause of severe fatigue.

Other factors which impact your energy levels:

1. Your diet is not adequate or nourishing
2. You are skipping meals
3. You are overweight
4. Sleep apnea

Get yourself tested blood glucose levels regularly to identify the real reason behind your fatigue.

High Blood Sugar Level and Fatigue

 

 
Blood glucose levels hit a peak when insulin is not working effectively and thus, not able to transport glucose from the blood into our cells for energy. When there’s not enough sugar in our system for the cells to work effectively, its results into fatigue.

Tips to control a blood sugar spike:

1. Limit quick disgusting carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, potatoes.
2. Don’t avoid all carbs but choose whole unprocessed grains because they utilize nutrition and dissolve into the bloodstream gradually. E.g.: sprouted and whole-grain bread, legumes, and beans, wild or brown rice and more.
3. Opt for healthy fats as olive oil, avocado, nuts and seeds and avoid animal protein especially red meat, processed meats, and cheese.
4. Increase your fruits and vegetable intake such as blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, broccoli, green beans, carrots.
5. Plan your meal, eat on time and ensure that you spread your carbohydrate intake throughout the day to avoid blood sugar spikes.

Low Blood Sugar Level and Fatigue

 

 

If you are taking these medications too often and too much, your blood sugar may get affected. Skipping meals, eating too little or not eating on time, heavy and unplanned physical activity can also cause low blood sugar.

Tips to control a blood sugar drop:

1. Regularly check your blood sugar level to stay one step ahead
2. Don’t skip meals
3. Always carry some healthy snacks in your bag/purse when you are traveling and have a snack before you leave home
4. Eat a small snack before your workout because exercise consumes energy quickly

Managing Morning Tiredness

 

 
Also, you feel the symptoms of a headache in the morning it could due to Nocturnal hypoglycemia in people taking insulin.

Symptoms of Nocturnal hypoglycemia are:

1. Waking with a headache
2. Unprovoked sleep disturbance
3. Feeling unusually tired
4. Waking with damp bedclothes and sheets from sweating
5. Clammy neck

Other than that, managing morning tiredness requires a bit of planning and alertness. Make sure you check your blood sugar levels regularly and speak with your doctor for additional guidance.

Foods That Help Manage the Fatigue

 

 

1. Opt for fat-free yogurt and milk and they are loaded with Vitamin D.
2. Whole grains containing bran and germ will provide you with folate, chromium, and magnesium.
3. Berries are an outstanding source of antioxidants and fiber.
4. Citrus fruits are a great source of vitamin c.
5. Opt for salmon once in a while as they are packed with omega-3s.
6. Green leafy vegetables are always good. Always!
7. Swap regular potatoes for sweet potatoes.

Foods That Will Aggravate the Fatigue

1. Foods made with white flour or white sugar, such as white pasta, white rice, and white bread Refined carbohydrates like baked goods, candy, ice cream, and prepared to breakfast cereals.
2. Soft drinks, sweetened iced tea, sports drinks, lemonade, and fruit juice
   Salt and high-salt foods and condiments, such as canned soup, lunch meat, soy sauce, gravy, ketchup, and mustard.

Do you have any special tips to manage fatigue? Share via the comments section.