• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Type 2 Diabetics wake up at 3:00 am ?

Omar51 said:
Most or a lot of diabetics wake up at 3:am, including myself. I wonder why. Any suggestions to go back to bed ?. My thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Click to expand...
I’ve never heard this one before. I’ve been a diabetic since 6th February 1977 and never really wake up at 3am. To be honest it’s often a time when I go to bed LOL. My Father In Law is a Type 2 Diabetic also and he says he sleeps all night and the only time he gets out of bed early in the morning is to empty his bladder but that’s closer to 6-6.30am. Sorry I cannot help you with this theory , May be worth asking your diabetic nurses or Diabetic Consultant. If this is correct, they should know.
 
Omar51 said:
Most or a lot of diabetics wake up at 3:am, including myself. I wonder why. Any suggestions to go back to bed ?. My thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Click to expand...
3.16am is typical or 4.26.. can be every couple of hrs. Thirsty, pee maybe. I'll get up & read if the head kicks in, return to bed after an 1hr.....sigh
 
atomicpants69 said:
I wake up about 3 or 4 times, Ive not heard of any T1's having a good sleep
Click to expand...
I usually sleep well, except for the pain in my back in the last hour or two of my night.
The exception is the first night of a new sensor, when it often keeps alarming to tell me I'm low when I'm not, even though I presoak for a day before activating.
 
becca59 said:
Yes I do. But also often up at 1 and 5 as well. Came on in older age.
Click to expand...
Yes I think getting older has had alot to do with it. Also diabetes has been more difficult to control as you get older too. I suffer from neuropathy in my legs and lately my fingers, so restless legs don't help much either. Also depending on your insulin regime- between 3am and 4am was always the most usual time us Type 1'ers would get a Hypo as well. If you can't get back to sleep- Just cuddle your Girl is the best option!
 
Yes I do but it is 4hrs after I go to bed.
If I go to bed at 23.00 I wake up at 03.00. If I go to bed at 22.00 I wake up at 02.00. Etc.
 
It also depends how old you are, elderly folk go to bed and wake up early, especially, in the summer months when it gets light by 4am. I'm 65 nearly, sometimes I go to bed at 3am and sleep for about 5 hours, I have a nap during the afternoon to compensate for any lost sleep. We're all humans and have different sleep patterns, I often have a nightcap, or, two, before retiring for the evening, which makes me drowsy by default, I can get a few hours kip in before I wake up.
I wouldn't worry unduly about it, however, if it affects your blood sugars, etc, then best to take medical advice accordingly.

All the best, look after yourself.
 
I'm very interested in all these comments. I too wake up every night usually around the 3 am although sometimes have already been up a couple of times to pee. Dapagliflozin doesn't help here! We usually eat dinner (low carb) around 6.30 pm and occasionally have a small orange at around 9pm. I try not to sit up and check BS unless feeling bad because going back to sleep is often a real problem. I too read a lot at that time. My friend and I call ourselves the 'Early Readers' group!
 
Great to see members providing ‘evidence’ to support the theory proposed by @Omar51.

I wonder if it is due to medication, or change in blood glucose levels that is causing folks to wake up at that time?
For me, I probably sleep soundly due to allergy meds I take in the evening. I would not like to experiment by not taking them, to see if my sleep pattern changes. I like my sleep too much.
 
I used to. I was in the habit of taking my medication just before going to bed. As well as diabetes i have heart problems. They got worse so they upped my diuretic. I then started waking for a pee around 1 am rather than 3 or 4 am. Decided to take my diuretic, spironalactone, when I woke in the morning instead of late at night. I still wake up needing a pee but now it's a more acceptable 7 am.
 
Omar51 said:
Most or a lot of diabetics wake up at 3:am, including myself. I wonder why. Any suggestions to go back to bed ?. My thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Click to expand...
I am included and wake up at 03:00am all the time for a drink and or use the bathroom. Suspect the dehydrating effects of the condition.
 
Rachox said:
Another one interested to hear where you found this fact. I don’t wake up at all in the night!
Click to expand...
same here. people seem to forget that they are all different and also there are different dysfunctions within T2DM. I used to get up to urinate but now my situation improved and I have no need to do that anymore.
 
Last edited:
how would you rate your diabetes control right now?
I used to be like that (when diagnosed 3 years ago) but as you improve your control your sleep gets better and there is no need to get up at night nor there is that constant thirst that persisted before. I am on 2x500 Met and a single 50mg Vildagliptin in the morning. I swim 3 times a week, lift some weghts and walk a lot. plus my first meal of the day comes in at 3/4 pm and it’s mostly protein and healthy fat. before that it’s a single apple and nuts with coffee. latest A1c ~> 5.1 (32.25) So, believe me symptoms of T2DM are just that and they go away as you improve your BG control.
 
I also got a great deal of information from all your replies, so I thank you also. When I wake up in the night, it's usually alongside rivers of sweat from head to toe and I'm way passed menopause. I have found having a snack at bedtime does help to prevent it
 
I know I don't tend to wake up at 3am - unless I've been out drinking and either dehydration or the need to go to the toilet kicks in - but thats more related to the vodka and diet cokes rather than anything else
 
Omar51 said:
Most or a lot of diabetics wake up at 3:am, including myself. I wonder why. Any suggestions to go back to bed ?. My thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Click to expand...
Hi I’ve been diabetic for 30yrs and never woken at 3am ever My cat wakes me up sometimes at an early hour as he needs to go out He walks through my window blinds to wake me up . I also wake up to have a pee but go back to bed and fall asleep immediately. I’m just lucky fall asleep immediately try not to think of anything
Just go back to sleep Simplezzzz
 
Omar51 said:
Most or a lot of diabetics wake up at 3:am, including myself. I wonder why. Any suggestions to go back to bed ?. My thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Click to expand...
I wake around 3am always boiling hot
 
My doctor calls this phenomenon "the morning liver dump," explaining that it affects diabetics differently for many reasons. In my case, apparently, my sugars are not being broken down sufficiently overnight and in the early AM my liver dumps the excess sugars into the blood stream. And I wake up. most annoying! I have tried charting to see what can affect this "happening" and find that, for me, good strenuous exercise works best!

Of late, a cube of cheese seems to help!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…