Overview
Summer can bring additional challenges for people with diabetes. Research shows that hot weather can cause health problems for people with diabetes, which can lead to high temperatures and humidity. Become more sensitive.
You may find it more difficult to control your blood sugar levels and you may be more at risk for heat exhaustion.
Therefore, when the weather gets hot, it is important that you closely monitor your blood sugar levels and look for possible signs that your body is not handling the heat better. That way, you can take action before the situation escalates.
Ways, Through Heat Affect People Having Diabetes
It’s not just that hot weather makes you feel tired and lethargic. This can have some negative effects on how diabetes affects your body. For example, people with diabetes suffer from dehydration much faster than people with diabetes. Symptoms or signs of mild to moderate dehydration can include:
- Fatigue
- Decreased urination
- Increased thirst
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Headache
- Dry mouth and dry eyes
When dehydration becomes more severe, you can progress:
- Excessive thirst
- Dark urine
- Low blood pressure
- High heart rate
Some people even notice that their sweat production is low.
Dehydration can raise blood glucose levels. You may then feel the urge to urinate more, which increases anxiety.
You also have a higher risk of heat exhaustion because diabetes can damage your blood vessels and nerves, including the nerves in your sweat glands, so you can’t cool your body so effectively. There is a need.
Also, high temperatures can change the way your body uses insulin. Generally, if you exercise, you reduce your need for insulin. But hot weather can complicate it, and you may be at risk for high and low blood glucose.
That’s a good incentive to talk to a medical professional about how to adjust your insulin, if necessary, to calculate your activity level and weather.
Don’t Forget About Humidity
In some places, it’s just not hot. It is hot and humid at the same time. Excess moisture in the air can make the heat worse.
And the challenge for people with diabetes is this: when they get wet, the sweat does not evaporate as well as evaporates, and this leads to dryer conditions. This makes it harder for you to stay cool and can make it harder for you to control your blood glucose levels.
A reliable source of disease control and prevention centers suggests monitoring the heat index in your area, as it takes into account both temperature and humidity.
Tips For Managing Diabetes And Hot Weather
Managing your diabetes carefully is the best way to stay on top of the situation. Here are some tips to help you stay safe in the heat this summer:
- Drink more water: It is important to avoid dehydration, so you will want to make sure you maintain your fluid intake. But skip sugary sweet drinks.
- Clothes for the season: This means light, baggy clothing to help keep you cool, especially if you plan to spend time outside.
- Avoid alcoholic beverages: Alcohol has a progressive effect, so drinking alcoholic beverages will make you urinate more frequently and you will lose fluids.
- Check your blood sugar level often: This includes activities before and after exercise, such as affecting your blood sugar levels regardless of the weather. Hot weather can cause your blood glucose levels to fluctuate even more than you think.
- If you are going out, stay in the shade as much as possible: In direct sunlight the temperature signal can be a bit high, so choose a shade where it is a little cooler.
- Exercise indoors in air-conditioned spaces: You will suffer from heat and humidity. Or if you really like to exercise outside, exercise early in the morning, when it’s a little cold.
- Know your medicine: Carefully read all of your medication instructions for heat warnings.
- Be ready: If you have type 1 diabetes and have a urine ketone test on hand, use insulin, as you may be at risk for a complication known as diabetic ketoacidosis.
How To Store Your Medicines And Supplies In Hot Medicine
The heat is hard on your body, but it is also hard on your diabetes supply. They suffer from extreme heat. Here are some tips to help you manage your diabetes medications and supplies:
Do not leave your insulin pump, glucose meter, or other equipment in a hot car or outside in the sun.
Keep test strips and other equipment in a cool place. A good rule of thumb: Store them with the rest of your body and keep them away from the sun and heat.
Keep your insulin in the cooler if you’re traveling, but don’t stack ice packs directly on top.
Symptoms To See
If you have diabetes, you may want to monitor for yourself the symptoms of heat exhaustion, as well as the possible development of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia. Sometimes the symptoms can be the same, so you may want to look for different symptoms and when in doubt, seek medical help.
Heat Exhaustion
In response to a hot body, your body may overheat and develop a condition known as heat exhaustion. Symptoms include:
- Decreased blood pressure
- Feeling faint
- Sweating profusely
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Headache
- Fast and weak pulse
- Muscle aches
- Flattened or cold skin even at high temperatures
Although not more serious than heat stroke, heat exhaustion can pave the way, so don’t ignore these symptoms.
Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia occurs when blood sugar drops abnormally. Officially, this happens when your blood glucose level falls below 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg / dL).
Your risk of hypoglycemia increases in the summer because your metabolism increases in hot, humid weather and you are more likely to absorb insulin.
As hypoglycemia develops, you may begin to feel confused or have blurred vision. Other symptoms include:
- Anxiety
- Sweating
- Earthquakes
- heart beat
In extreme cases, you may lose consciousness. Make sure you have a source of glucose tablets or other fast-acting carbohydrates so you can get them right away. Take it if your blood sugar levels start to drop.
Hyperglycemia
Hyperglycemia occurs when your blood glucose level is too high. Your body does not have enough quantity of insulin or it can not use insulin in correct way.
You have hyperglycemia if your blood sugar level is above 180 mg / dL after meals or above 130 mg / dL before meals.
Are you really thirsty or tired? Do you need to urinate frequently? These are common symptoms of hyperglycemia. Of course, dehydration can also lead to excessive thirst and fatigue. But either way, you don’t want to ignore them. Check your blood sugar level and make sure you are drinking plenty of fluids.
When This Is An Emergency
If you start to show signs of dehydration or heat exhaustion, stop what you are doing. Go to a cool place indoors, get some fluids to help rehydrate and control blood sugar levels.
If your blood sugar level falls below 70 mg / dL, remember the “Rule 15-15”, the American Diabetes Association recommends, that is, to raise your blood sugar level. Eat 15 grams of carbohydrates and wait 15 minutes to check your levels.
If your blood sugar level is too high, fast-acting insulin can help prevent high blood sugar levels in many cases.
However, if your blood sugar level is dangerously high, don’t wait. If someone takes you to the hospital. If you have very low insulin levels and blood sugar levels, you may develop diabetic ketoacidosis, which is a medical emergency.
Summary
Summer can be a wonderful time, but heat and humidity can affect people with diabetes.
It is important to look for signs of dehydration and heat exhaustion, and to monitor your blood glucose levels closely. Keep plenty of fluids, medicines and other supplies nearby. That way, you can get your medicine, fast-acting carbohydrates or other supplies as soon as you need them.