Low blood sugar (or hypoglycemia), is an often overlooked, but common problem.
It occurs when the amount of sugar in your bloodstream drops too low and can occur both when you eat and after you eat, making it harder to recognize if it’s an issue for you or not.
Low blood sugar can lead to serious problems, including seizures and even death, so it’s important to be aware of what low blood sugar symptoms are so that you can treat them right away! Here are some of the most common symptoms of low blood sugar to watch out for.
1) Feeling tired
The most common symptom of low blood sugar is feeling tired. If you’re feeling extra sleepy and sluggish, but you’ve been getting enough sleep, it could be a sign that your blood sugar levels are low.
Other symptoms include anxiety, shakiness, confusion, dizziness or lightheadedness, mood swings and hunger.
The best way to treat low blood sugar is to quickly eat something that has a lot of carbs and calories like juice, candy bars or cookies.
If any of these symptoms last for more than two hours or if they start occurring often without an obvious cause, it’s time to check your blood sugar levels and see what’s going on.
To do this, prick your finger and put a drop of blood on a glucose meter to get the results. Ideally, your blood sugar level should be at least 120 mg/dL before eating (or less than 200 mg/dL) in order to stay safe and healthy.
2) Muscle pain
When you have low blood sugar, it can be easy to ignore the symptoms. Muscle pain is one symptom that shouldn’t be ignored.
As your body uses up its glucose stores, your muscles are deprived of energy and can ache. In addition, low blood sugar can cause a headache or stomachache and make you feel dizzy or lightheaded.
These symptoms will usually go away as soon as you eat something with simple carbohydrates in it like a piece of bread or some crackers.
You should also drink plenty of water when your blood sugar levels are low to help dilute the glucose in your bloodstream.
And if these symptoms continue for more than an hour after eating, see your doctor. Your fasting blood sugar may not rise high enough during the examination to be measured accurately.
If this happens, ask your doctor about having a finger-stick test done at home periodically to measure glucose levels.
Remember: Low blood sugar isn’t just uncomfortable—it can also lead to more serious conditions like diabetic ketoacidosis and hypoglycemia unawareness!
3) Headaches
If you find that when you wake up in the morning your head feels like it’s going to explode, or the pressure is building behind your eyes and making them hurt, then these are signs that your blood sugar is low.
Furthermore, if you find that you need a lot more sleep than usual, have a hard time waking up in the morning, or feel really tired during the day despite eating plenty of food for breakfast.
These are all warning signs that could point to low blood sugar.
So take note of how often this happens and what other symptoms might be present to see if it’s worth getting checked out by a doctor.
4) Irritability
*You feel agitated, moody or grumpy
*You feel mentally cloudy and don’t respond to things the way you normally would
*You find it hard to concentrate and focus on your work
*Your hearing seems duller than normal and you may have trouble remembering things that happened recently
*You feel nauseous or dizzy. These symptoms can vary in intensity. If you experience a few of these symptoms at the same time, it may be time to test your blood sugar levels (fingers crossed they’re low!) To do this, prick your finger with a lancet and place the drop of blood onto a glucose monitor strip.
Wait for 15 seconds before testing again – this allows enough time for an accurate reading to register.
5) Hunger
Hunger is the most common symptom. It’s a warning sign that your blood sugar levels are low and need to be raised.
Other signs include a headache, nervousness, dizziness, or irritability. If these symptoms continue for an extended period of time, you may have diabetes or another disorder.
If you suspect you have low blood sugar levels or think it might be related to an illness, you should call your doctor immediately.
If untreated, low blood sugar can lead to ketoacidosis – which can cause life-threatening complications.
The risk factors for developing this condition include having type 1 diabetes, consuming too much alcohol without eating anything else, taking medications that lower insulin levels (e.g., sulfonylureas), or have chronic diseases such as congestive heart failure, kidney disease, liver disease, obesity with certain types of cancer treatment.
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms and they persist longer than 24 hours or worsen in severity (i.e., extreme fatigue), contact your physician right away.
6) Anxiety
Most people experience anxiety at some point in their lives. It can be a result of a traumatic event or simple stress from not having enough time to complete all the tasks you need to get done during the day.
Anxiety can also be caused by serious health conditions such as low blood sugar. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s important that you consult with your doctor for further evaluation.
The sooner you catch and treat the underlying condition, the better off you’ll be.
To find out if you might have low blood sugar levels, check out the following symptoms:
1) excessive thirst;
2) constant hunger;
3) heavy perspiration;
4) irritability;
5) nervousness;
6) feeling cold but then hot flashes later on;
7) lightheadedness or dizziness
7) Short-term memory loss
Low blood sugar (known as hypoglycemia) happens when your body doesn’t have enough glucose to use for energy.
It is usually caused by skipping meals, getting too much exercise, or having too little insulin in the body.
All three cases lead to increased hunger and thirst because the body sends signals that it needs more food or fluids.
Low blood sugar leads to symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, shakiness, weakness and confusion.
The best way to treat low blood sugar is to quickly eat something that has a lot of carbs and calories like juice, candy bars or cookies.
