Contents:
- Medical Video: Tiredness and fatigue diseases | 8 diseases that cause excessive tiredness
- A number of studies have shown fatigue can occur in all types of diabetes
- So, what causes diabetics to get tired easily?
- 1. Hypothyroidism
- 2. Diabetes complications
- 3. Drug side effects
- 4. Depression
- So, how to reduce fatigue in diabetics?
- 1. Changes in lifestyle
- 2. Support from people around
- 3. Maintain mental health
Medical Video: Tiredness and fatigue diseases | 8 diseases that cause excessive tiredness
Fatigue can be caused by many things. Not only because of lack of sleep or excess physical activity, fatigue is very easily felt by people with diabetes. Yes, diabetes and fatigue are closely related, making life for diabetics (people with diabetes) less comfortable. Actually, what makes diabetics easily tired? Check out the full review below.
A number of studies have shown fatigue can occur in all types of diabetes
Research conducted in 2015 tried to examine the relationship of diabetes with the level of fatigue through sleep quality surveys. Researchers note that 31 percent of people with type 1 diabetes have poor sleep quality. However, more people with type 2 diabetes, exactly 42 percent, are easily tired when compared to type 2 diabetes patients.
Meanwhile, other studies report that there are about 40 percent of type 1 diabetics who experience fatigue for more than six months. Researchers also noted that the level of fatigue tends to be severe so that it has an impact on daily activities and the quality of life of people with diabetes. So it can be concluded that fatigue can occur in all types of diabetes, both type 1 and type 2.
So, what causes diabetics to get tired easily?
According to Dr. Joel Zonszein, a director of the Clinical Diabetes Center at the University Hospital of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, the most common cause of diabetes sufferers get tired quickly is due to high blood sugar levels.
This high blood sugar level causes dehydration. This condition of dehydration makes people with diabetes feel tired. In addition to high blood sugar, dehydration can also occur due to kidney disease which is one of the complications of diabetes.
Fatigue is a result of an imbalance between the level of blood glucose and insulin circulating in the body. In fact, insulin is needed to transport glucose from the blood to body cells which will be used as energy.
If the insulin level is not enough (in type 1 diabetes) or does not work effectively (in type 2 diabetes), this causes hyperglycemia, aka high blood sugar. As a result, glucose in the blood cannot enter the cell so that the body's cells cannot receive the energy needed. All of these processes make diabetics tired faster.
However, Dr. Joel noted that this was not the only cause of fatigue. Because, chronic fatigue can also be caused by several things others, namely:
1. Hypothyroidism
People with diabetes have a high risk of thyroid disease, especially hypothyroidism, which is a decrease in thyroid gland activity in producing hormones. This condition can also make diabetics feel tired.
2. Diabetes complications
Complications of diabetes are additional factors that cause diabetics to get tired quickly. When people with type 2 diabetes have had this disease for a long time, they are at risk of developing kidney, heart and liver damage. These abnormalities in organs increase fatigue in the body in people with diabetes.
3. Drug side effects
Giving medicine to diabetics needs special attention. Because, one of the blood pressure control drugs such as beta blockers turned out to have side effects such as fatigue.
4. Depression
Diabetes is a disease that cannot be cured, but can be controlled to prevent the occurrence of complications that can reduce a person's quality of life. For those who know this diagnosis in the early stages of the disease, maybe this is not something that weighs on the mind.
However, for those who are diagnosed with diabetes for the first time at the same time with various complications that require complex treatment and demand energy and material, of course this can be a severe pressure that can trigger depression. Depression can make someone feel energized to carry out daily activities. This can also be a cause of diabetics feeling tired.
So, how to reduce fatigue in diabetics?
1. Changes in lifestyle
For diabetics who are easily tired, it is highly recommended to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Among them with regular exercise, maintaining diet, and controlling weight. All of this can help diabetics to meet their energy needs while controlling blood sugar.
Regular exercise is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. This is because exercise can control blood glucose levels, even if you already have diabetes. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends exercising at least 2.5 hours in one week to get maximum results.
However, for those of you who already have diabetes complications such as kidney and heart disease, you should first consult about sports that are safe and beneficial for you.
2. Support from people around
A study conducted on 1,657 adults with type 2 diabetes showed a positive correlation between social support and the level of fatigue in diabetics. Researchers found that family support is the best effort to reduce fatigue levels in people with diabetes.
Therefore, make sure the family and the people closest to you support every diabetes treatment you take. Spending time with family can supply positive energy within you, so that blood sugar levels can be controlled.
3. Maintain mental health
According to Current Diabetes Reports, diabetics are twice as susceptible to depression. This may be caused by psychological and emotional changes that many people with diabetes experience.
Therefore, it is important for diabetics to maintain their health psychologically. Routine exercise is one easy way. The reason is that exercise can increase serotonin levels which are useful for preventing symptoms of depression. If needed, your doctor may advise you to take antidepressants.
