If you’re checking the accuracy of that headline, the key point is: high blood sugar doesn’t necessarily become worse after 10 p.m., and there are no seven symptoms that specifically prove nighttime hyperglycemia. Some symptoms can simply become more noticeable at night because you’re asleep or aren’t distracted.
7 nighttime clues that may occur with high blood sugar
Waking to urinate repeatedly — excess glucose can cause the kidneys to excrete more water, leading to frequent urination.
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CDC
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Strong thirst or a dry mouth — fluid loss from frequent urination can increase thirst.
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American Diabetes Association
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Feeling unusually tired — fatigue and weakness are recognized symptoms of hyperglycemia.
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MedlinePlus
Blurred vision — changes in blood glucose can affect vision.
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CDC
Headache — headaches can occur with high blood glucose, although they have many other possible causes.
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MedlinePlus
Dryness or dehydration — particularly when high glucose is accompanied by substantial urination.
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Mayo Clinic
Waking with unusually high glucose readings — some people with diabetes experience the dawn phenomenon, a rise in blood glucose generally occurring around 4–8 a.m.
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Health Library
One important distinction
Nighttime symptoms don’t tell you reliably whether your glucose is high. A glucose meter or continuous glucose monitor is much more useful. Typical targets for many adults with diabetes are 80–130 mg/dL before meals and below 180 mg/dL two hours after the beginning of a meal, although individualized targets may differ.
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CDC
If glucose is very high and accompanied by vomiting, abdominal pain, fruity-smelling breath, difficulty breathing, severe weakness, or confusion, seek urgent medical care because diabetic ketoacidosis can be life-threatening.
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CDC
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