Enjoying the sun is one of the things many people look forward to in the summer. But if you have diabetes, it can be harder to manage your blood glucose (sugar) levels in the hot weather.
How hot weather affects blood sugar levels
Sitting in the sun for long periods may affect your diabetes because you're not being very active, making blood sugar levels higher than usual. On the flipside, if you take insulin to treat your diabetes it may be absorbed more quickly from the injection site in warm weather, and this increases the risk of hypos.
If you're careful about managing your diabetes then there's no reason you can't have fun in the sun like anybody else. We've created some top tips to stay sun-safe this summer.
If you usually check your own blood sugar levels, do this more often and be ready to adjust your diet or insulin dose if you take insulin. If you plan on being active in the sun, like going for a swim, eat some extra carbohydrate at your meal before or as an extra snack. Check your levels beforehand and have a sugary snack if your levels are low. Keep something sugary to hand too, just in case.
"The heat affects Eddie's levels and when we went away after his diagnosis his bloods went really low. He was also very active by the pool and had some bad hypos which knocked him out. Now, we give him a carbohydrate snack before he exercises if he is too low. We then set a timer to top up his snacks." Read Kirsty's story.
Keep meters and test strips away from the sun
Extremes of temperature can also affect blood glucose meters and test strips. If you use these, keep your meter and test strips as close to normal room temperature as possible and out of direct sunlight, but don’t refrigerate them as cold temperatures can also lead to misleading results.
Using diabetes technology in the sun
Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines and your healthcare team’s advice.
General guidance
If you wear a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) sensor and need to change it, avoid getting any sunscreen on your insertion site. Clean the area thoroughly before applying the new sensor so it sticks properly. The same applies to an insulin pump if you need to change the insertion site.
Be aware your pump reservoir may need changing more frequently due to insulin warming up.
Cover your pump under a towel when sunbathing, to avoid heating of insulin. If your blood sugar levels seem higher for no particular reason it’s possible that the insulin in your reservoir may have been damaged by the heat so consider changing it.
Store insulin properly
If you take insulin to treat your diabetes, keep a close eye on how you store it so it still works properly.
In hot weather, insulin is best kept in the fridge to stop it going above room temperature. If you’re out and about carry your insulin with you in a cool bag, wallet or pouch.
If your blood sugar levels are consistently higher than expected consider changing your insulin as it may have been damaged by the sun.
When damaged by heat, clear insulin generally becomes cloudy and cloudy insulin becomes grainy and sticks in the side of the glass. Insulin that has been exposed to bright sunlight sometimes has a brownish colour. Do not use insulin that looks like this. Speak to your GP or a healthcare professional if you're unsure.
Other diabetes medications, such as tablets should usually be kept as close to normal room temperature as possible. Check the patient information leaflet that comes with your medication for information on how to store it safely.
Keep your home cool
Close windows and curtains/shutters during the day and open them at night when the temperature outside has gone down to release the heat. See more tips to keep cool at home on the GOV.UK website.
If you rent, you are entitled to the environmental health office at your local council to inspect your home if you think excess heat is affecting your health or someone else's. Find your local council.
Stay hydrated
If you’re being active or just relaxing, everyone knows that hot weather will make you sweat. This is your body's natural way of cooling down, but you’ll need to replace the fluids lost due to sweating. Most people should aim to drink enough during the day so their pee is a clear, pale yellow colour..
Drinking water or sugar-free soft drinks will help you to stay hydrated. It’s best not to drink alcohol, caffeinated drinks and hot drinks. Carry drinks with you and make sure you have regular sips. Becoming dehydrated increases the risk of hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic syndrome (HHS) or diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
Other top tips
When you're out and about in the sun, remember to:
wear long sleeves, loose trousers, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses with wraparound lenses or wide arms with the CE Mark and British Standard Mark 12312-1:2013 E
apply sunscreen to exposed areas of your body needs to be applied twice: 30 minutes before going out and just before going out in the sun and reapply every two hours when you’re still outside.
wear well-fitting sandals or shoes rather than going bare foot. If you have neuropathy, you may not be aware of your feet burning, Avoid wearing ‘flip-flop’ type footwear as this may cause blisters between your toes.
In very hot weather keep out of the heat if you can. If you have to go outside, stay in the shade especially between 11am and 3pm when sun is the strongest. For more information on coping in hot weather, see the NHS website.
Heat exhaustion
Heat exhaustion can develop when the body finds it difficult to keep cool. Symptoms include headaches, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, tiredness, muscle cramps, stomach cramps and pale skin. As some of these could also be due to unstable blood sugar levels, it's important to test regularly.
Heat exhaustion needs immediate treatment. Move to a cool place to rest and sip a cold drink. If left untreated, heat exhaustion can lead to the more severe and potentially life-threatening condition heat stroke, so take action straight away.
Symptoms of heat stroke include confusion, hallucinations, rapid breathing and convulsions, all of which require immediate medical attention.
Is sunshine good for diabetes?
Nice weather can encourage you to get more active and this increased activity can help improve your sensitivity to insulin and help combat problems like heart disease and high blood pressure. It’s also great for your mental health as it can reduce stress and boost your mood.
Being active
As being active can have an impact on your blood sugar levels, you just need to think a little more about how you manage your diabetes. Some people with diabetes worry that exercise will make them feel tired or send their blood sugar low. But with the right preparation there’s no reason why you can’t be more active in the sun. However ,you should avoid exercise or activity that makes you hotter. If you’re at risk of hypos always carrying something to treat them. See our tips on managing blood sugar levels and exercise.
Remember whether you’re taking a stroll on a sunny day or playing frisbee on a beach, these activities may have more of an impact on your blood sugar than they would in colder weather.
Try to be extra careful with your feet in the hot weather. If you have neuropathy you may not realise how hot the ground is, so it’s important to make sure you’re always wearing shoes or sandals out in the sun.
Can vitamin D prevent or reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes?
Researchers have been investigating whether taking vitamin D supplements might help or prevent the development of type 2 diabetes. But despite lots of research in this area, the evidence is mixed and the effects of vitamin D on reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes tend to be small. More research is needed to test whether vitamin D supplements can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes along with well-known measures such as keeping fit.
But it’s important everyone in the UK – including people with diabetes -– should consider taking a vitamin D supplement during the autumn and winter as recommended by the government. Vitamin D is important for our bones, muscle and teeth. It also helps keep our immune system strong.
When it comes to managing blood glucose (a.k.a. blood sugar), most people with diabetes focus on familiar factors like food, exercise, and medication to keep levels within range. But there are so many things that impact blood glucose—even the weather.
“Both very cold and very hot weather can change your blood sugar,” says Komal Patil-Sisodia, M.D., an endocrinologist and CEO/Founder & Physician at Eastside Menopause & Metabolism. “If you have diabetes, you need to have a strategy around how to manage both of these situations so you can stay healthy all year.”
A blood sugar spike happens when glucose levels rise higher than the body can effectively handle, either because your body isn’t producing insulin, insulin isn’t working efficiently, or because more glucose is released into the bloodstream than usual. Over time, frequent spikes may increase the risk of diabetes-related complications, so it’s important to do what you can to mitigate them.
That starts with understanding signs your blood sugar is high (or low) and aspects that may trigger these variations, including temperature changes. Here’s how weather influences blood sugar and what people with all kinds of diabetes can do to try to stay in range year-round.
Tony Anderson//Getty Images
How cold weather affects blood sugar
Dealing with cold weather may trigger a stress response. One of the ways in which our bodies naturally combat this is to release stress hormones, which subsequently decrease insulin production and release stored blood sugar. On top of this, injected insulin may absorb more slowly in cold temperatures.
“Cold weather results in less insulin secretion and less insulin absorption after an injection as a result of the lower skin temperature,” says Rachel Pessah-Pollack, M.D., an endocrinologist at NYU Department of Endocrinology and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism. “Paradoxically, there is also an increase in hypoglycaemia risk (low glucose levels) during cold weather, particularly in people with type 2 diabetes and non-diabetes patients.”
This is partly because when you get too cold, your body burns more glucose. In turn, this may lower blood sugar levels, potentially risking hypoglycaemia. This may be exacerbated by the fact that low temperatures can mask symptoms of low blood sugar, such as feeling cold or numbness in certain areas.
Dr. Pessah-Pollack also notes that the weather may affect our behaviours in ways that potentially create more scenarios leading to blood sugar variations; people have a tendency to exercise less and eat higher-carbohydrate foods during the winter, both of which can increase the likelihood of blood sugar rising.
“Being less active makes your body less sensitive to insulin, which can cause higher blood sugars,” Dr. Patil-Sisodia adds.
How hot weather affects blood sugar
But the weather doesn’t have to be cold and blustery to impact blood sugar. “Both extreme cold and extreme hot temperatures can affect blood glucose levels and cause fasting glucose levels to rise,” Dr. Pessah-Pollack confirms.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stresses that dehydration may raise blood sugar readings. People with diabetes are particularly susceptible to dehydration in the heat for several reasons, including the fact that complications from the disease may ultimately damage the body’s ability to cool down.
Dehydration isn’t the only obstacle, either. Hot weather can actually change how your body processes insulin. Studies show that warm temperatures can speed up insulin absorption after injection and alter how quickly it acts in the body, which may make blood sugar levels harder to predict in the heat or lead to dangerous drops. And if your supplemental insulin is exposed to high temperatures, it may degrade.
How to manage blood sugars in extreme weather
Both of our experts note that the most important thing to do when the temperature changes drastically is to monitor your glucose levels regularly, manually, and through the use of a continuous glucose monitor (CGM). This should catch any spikes early on and help you learn how the weather impacts your body, specifically, as the impact may not be the same for everyone.
During the winter, Dr. Patil-Sisodia suggests exercising indoors to stay physically active as well as wearing “warm layers to reduce your body’s stress response to the cold.” In the summer, staying hydrated, avoiding beverages that may impact your numbers (alcohol and energy drinks), and keeping cool will go a long way towards staying in range.
For people who take insulin, there’s a bit of an extra challenge. “If you are taking insulin, take care to store it carefully and avoid freezing temperatures,” says Dr. Pessah-Pollack. “Be aware that your glucometer could potentially not be accurate due to extremely cold conditions.”
The bottom line
Ultimately, weather is just one of the many variables that may influence blood sugar. Because everyone’s body responds differently, paying attention to patterns, monitoring glucose regularly, and making small adjustments to activity, hydration, and medication (if you’re taking any to treat the condition) can go a long way toward keeping levels steady. Always consult your physician before making any changes to your routine, including how you monitor and treat your blood sugar levels.
New York City is sizzling and the extreme heat presents a significant threat for New Yorkers living with diabetes that we don’t talk about nearly often enough.
Dehydration spikes blood glucose levels and can reduce kidney function. Diabetes damages nerves in the sweat glands, and overall, is a condition harder to manage in the heat.
Combatting the mounting diabetes crisis in New York City amid this era of rising temperatures requires more public awareness, proactive policy changes, and investments in public health.
Dehydration spikes blood glucose levels and can reduce kidney function. Credit: RDNE Stock Project/Pexels
As a nurse specializing in diabetes education, I’m on the frontlines and see how this disease alters lives — often in ways that could have been prevented with earlier intervention. Black New Yorkers are particularly vulnerable and more likely to succumb to the disease than their white counterparts.
More than a million New Yorkers live with diabetes, and 1 in 6 has blood sugar levels high enough that their diabetes is considered “uncontrolled,” resulting in increased risk of kidney failure or stroke. New Yorkers living in neighbourhoods suffering from the urban heat island effect, where a lack of tree cover and air-conditioning can make it feel significantly hotter, are particularly vulnerable.
Due to longstanding inequities, many of these neighbourhoods also suffer from higher rates of diabetes — including in the Bronx, where as many as 1 adult in 5 has been diagnosed with the condition.
We want at-risk New Yorkers to get tested. At the same time, the city and state must commit to expanding access to resources, medical technologies, and education that can help people manage and control this condition.
Having treated 20 patients on average per week over the past 25 years, I’ve seen the trends shaping this crisis and how New Yorkers are suffering severe complications at younger ages.
In one upsetting case, I worked with a 20-year-old patient who lost his vision, had a limb amputated, and is now on dialysis. Sadly, the rate of toe and lower-limb amputations has increased about 75% between 2009 and 2017, and researchers expect both type 1 and type 2 diabetes to increase in young people over the next 40 years.
Many of my patients struggle to follow their medication regimens or make necessary lifestyle changes — not because they do not care about their health, but because they have never received the proper education, including guidance about how to take insulin, store their medication, and test their blood sugar.
Through my work, I’ve found that we need to meet people where they are to motivate them to make the proper lifestyle changes, whether that’s swapping out white rice with brown or just making a brisk walk a part of their everyday routine.
However, these efforts must be augmented by strong institutional support, including ongoing public investments in initiatives and programming designed to promote healthy lifestyle changes. We must improve and expand access to nutritional foods and boost educational and counselling programming, particularly in high-risk neighbourhoods where many residents lack access to proper medical care and healthy foods — gaps that may become more pronounced with cutbacks to federal funding.
We must also invest in policies and programs that promote physical activity and social connection in communities
These and other initiatives were outlined in a plan released by the city earlier this year focusing on tackling health inequities and reducing deaths from chronic illnesses like diabetes. It’s a great start. Now, we collectively — policymakers; lawmakers; non-profit, clergy, and community leaders; and healthcare organizations like ours — must work to ensure it doesn’t just sit on a shelf collecting dust.
City agencies must continue to engage with community groups and partners as they work to implement these proposals. At a broader level, we must continue to expand access to diabetes management technology, including devices like continuous glucose monitors that allow people to check their blood sugar in real time without pricking their fingers, that provide New Yorkers, regardless of income, with the best available tools to manage their condition.
Diabetes is a mounting crisis — but it doesn’t have to be. Let’s work to make it the beginning of the end when it comes to reversing these disturbing trends.
Theresa Renart serves as a clinical education diabetic nurse specialist at ElderServe Health. She lives in Queens.
High temperatures can pose higher health risks for people with diabetes, experts have found. With Texas heat and humidity, people with diabetes can struggle to cool down, facing a greater chance of experiencing heat-related illnesses.
The science
For a person without medical problems, the body adapts to heat in two ways, said Dr. Natalie Williams, family medicine doctor at Austin Regional Clinic.
One way the body prevents overheating is through sweat production, she said. The sweat, which contains salt and water from the body, comes up to the skin, gets evaporated and helps the body cool down.
The body also deals with heat through processes happening in the blood vessels. Blood vessels can expand or shrink, reacting to chemicals that are present when people have heat in their body, she said. The blood vessels then disperse the heat throughout the body, such as bringing the heat up to the skin instead of keeping the heat internally.
However, because people with diabetes have excess sugar in their blood, that can disrupt the body’s natural cool-down mechanisms, Williams said.
People with diabetes are more likely to get dehydrated because of the excess sugar, meaning there may not be enough water in the body needed for sweat production. Additionally, some people with diabetes can have damaged blood vessels, preventing them from effectively cooling the body, she said.
The risks
Diabetic patients are more likely to experience heat-related illnesses faster because of the high sugars in the blood, Williams said. Especially in cases when sugar levels spike, the person with diabetes is more likely to feel thirsty, but is unable to effectively hydrate because the sugar in the body holds onto the water.
People with diabetes may also urinate more, she said, meaning they are getting rid of the water inside their body. The dehydration prevents them from getting cool and getting fluid in, leading to risks of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Heat exhaustion, which is often because of an inadequate amount of water in the body to produce sweat, can lead to dizziness, headache, nausea and other health impacts, Williams said.
Heat stroke can include symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, changes in mental state or behaviour, rapid heart rate, headache and more, according to the Mayo Clinic. In more severe cases, heat stroke can lead to organ failure, Williams said.
Williams said that high temperature impacts on diabetes will impact people across Texas. She said that humidity can also impact one’s ability to cool down because the moisture in the air prevents effective evaporation, preventing the body from effectively sweating.
Looking into Austin, she said people, both diabetic and nondiabetic, should consider if their location has access to adequate cooling resources, such as shade or air conditioning.
“If you are in the middle of downtown or you're going to be on the east side, there's not as much shade as there would be,” she said. “If you're in the middle of Zilker [Park], it's hard to get to an AC, but there's plenty of space for shade.”
Williams said that she anticipates an increased risk for heat-related illnesses in the coming summer months due to the typical hot temperatures. She said that last year, she and the ARC medical staff saw cases of “very bad dehydration,” including in non-diabetic patients.
Austin recently experienced 100-degree temperatures in mid-May, according to data from the National Weather Service. So far this year, Austin has seen occurrences of above average temperatures since January and below average precipitation, data from the NWS shows. For the June to August months, NWS is predicting temperatures will be above normal, according to a NWS forecast issued May 15.
Tips for managing heat
Williams said that both diabetic and nondiabetic people should be mindful of ways to avoid overheating.
She said working out in the morning when temperatures are generally cooler and avoiding activities during midday, when temperatures are typically hotter, can be easy solutions to help prevent overheating in the outdoors. Checking the heat index, which measures both temperature and humidity, can be another good way to prepare for the weather that day, she said.
Additionally, opting for water instead of sugary and caffeinated drinks such as coffee and soda can help maintain water in the body. Williams also recommends Gatorade as it can give salt needed for sweat.
Wearing light, loose-fitting clothing and wearing sunscreen can be good for managing health effects from the heat.
For diabetic patients, she said some medicines such as insulin are heat-sensitive and can lose effectiveness when exposed to heat. Equipment such as pumps, monitors and glucose test strips can be damaged by heat, she said. Glucose test strips can also go bad in the sunlight.
Williams also recommends talking with a doctor about any tips for managing the heat and addressing any risks of heat-related illnesses.
“Have conversations with your doctor about how to take care of yourself in the heat because every condition has something else that you may need to keep an eye on,” she said.
We are in the middle of the dog days of summer and it’s hotter than H. E. Double Hockey Sticks! Since May, we’ve talked a lot about how high temperatures can affect us and the heat illnesses associated with these extreme temperatures. And who are most vulnerable. The elderly. People with special needs. Infants and children. Outdoor workers. The homeless. And those with chronic conditions like diabetes. If you have Diabetes here are some tips for you!
1. Stay Hydrated – High temperatures mean a higher risk for dehydration, which is an issue for everybody, but has a distinct effect on people with diabetes. “When you are dehydrated, you have higher concentrations of blood sugar, because less blood flows through your kidneys,” according to an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic. “With less blood flow, your kidneys don’t remove excess sugar from your blood to excrete through your urine.” So when it’s hot, be sure to drink plenty of water or sugar-free drinks.
2. Store your medications properly – High summer temperatures can affect your diabetes medications, your glucose meter and your diabetes test strips. Medication like insulin or other drugs can become degraded, so be sure to store all medications out of extreme heat. And never leave medications inside your vehicle where temperatures can reach up to 150 degrees inside! If you are traveling, take along a cooler to help keep your meds stable.
3. Stay out of the Heat of the Day – Even though exercise is an important part of diabetes management, you don’t want to be outside exercising during the hottest part of the day. That goes for all of us – Try to get your main activities done early morning or late evening when temperatures are more tolerable.
4. Know the signs of low blood sugar – some of the symptoms of heat exhaustion are similar to those of low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia), including sweating, light-headedness, shakiness, and confusion. You might think it’s the heat and not realize your blood sugar has fallen to dangerously low levels. So be aware of the warning signs of low blood sugar and keep some carbohydrates with you to eat if you need to raise your blood sugar. And always have a plan for a medical emergency.
5. Ask your Healthcare Team about how often you should test your blood sugar – when the weather is HOT, you may need to test your blood sugar levels more often so that you can adjust your insulin and diet if necessary.
6. Mind your Feet – People with diabetes are at risk for problems with their feet. In the summertime, you may be tempted to go barefoot or wear open-toed shoes, but the Centres for Disease Control advises against this. The CDC recommends always wearing shoes that fit as well as socks – even in warmer months. And at the end of the day, carefully check your feet for cuts, scrapes, blisters or bruises. Don’t ignore injuries to your feet and get medical treatment right away if you do have an injury of any sort.
It’s important we all take precautions while getting through unusually hot temperatures. Heat-related illness is no joke. So take precautions to prevent serious health effects such as Heat Exhaustion or Heat Stroke which can be deadly. Learn about the signs and symptoms of these illnesses and know what to do if First Aid is needed. Cooler weather will be here before we know it, but in the meantime, and while it is stifling outside, let’s all stay cool, stay hydrated and stay informed.
Summer is just a few days away and with it will come the heat. Some recent summer-like temperatures were a good reminder of how the weather can make us feel, said Emily Marrison, Ohio State University Extension Educator for Family and Consumer Sciences in Coshocton County.
People who have diabetes (both Type 1 and Type 2) can feel the heat more intensely than those who do not. Diabetes can result in complications that affect the efficiency of several systems in the body.
According to the Centres for Disease Control, diabetes can lead to damage to blood vessels and nerves. This means sweat glands can be less effective not allowing the body to cool itself as well. In general, people with diabetes get dehydrated more quickly. Not drinking enough liquids can raise blood sugar.
Higher blood sugar can increase urination, which also can lead to dehydration. People who need insulin may need to adjust their insulin dose, so close monitoring of blood sugar levels is recommended. Insulin and oral diabetes medicines should not be stored in sunlight or a hot car. The same goes for equipment and supplies. Heat can damage blood sugar monitors, insulin pumps and test strips.
Cleveland Clinic Endocrinologist Dr. Marwan Hamaty encourages his patients to participate in outdoor activities in all sorts of weather. He simply advises them to take certain precautions. These are good tips to keep in mind:
Drink plenty of water. This applies to everyone whether or not they have diabetes.
Keep items to treat low blood sugar with you. Though diabetes is associated with high blood sugar levels, people with diabetes can also experience low blood sugar with increased exercise. Have glucose tabs or glucose gel handy.
Snacks may also be helpful to regulate blood sugar levels. Discuss some good options with your dietitian.
Avoid dehydration. When you are active in warm weather, consider carrying along a low-calorie electrolyte-replenishing sports drink.
Avoid sunburn. This is also helpful advice for everyone. Sunburn stresses your body, and this can raise blood sugar levels.
Avoid temperature extremes. When possible, take it easy on exceptionally hot and humid days. There is a difference between 80 degrees and 95 degrees, and your body will let you know. Whenever possible, aim to stay in the shade rather than direct sunlight.
Enjoying the sun is one of the things many people look forward to in the summer. But if you have diabetes, it can be harder to manage your blood glucose (sugar) levels in the hot weather
How hot weather affects blood sugar levels
Sitting in the sun for long periods can affect your diabetes because you're not being very active, making blood sugar levels higher than usual. On the flipside, if you take insulin to treat your diabetes it will be absorbed more quickly from the injection site in warm weather, and this increases the risk of hypos.
If you're careful about managing your diabetes then there's no reason you can't have fun in the sun like anybody else. We've created some top tips to stay sun-safe this summer.
Check blood sugar levels
If you usually check your own blood sugar levels, do this more often and be ready to adjust your diet or insulin dose if you take insulin. If you plan on being active in the sun, like going for a swim, eat some extra carbohydrate at your meal before or as an extra snack. Check your levels beforehand and have a sugary snack if your levels are low. Keep something sugary to hand too, just in case.
Keep meters and test strips away from the sun
Extremes of temperature can also affectblood glucose meter and test strips. If you use these, keep your meter and test strips as close to normal room temperature as possible and out of direct sunlight, but don’t refrigerate them as cold temperatures can also lead to misleading results.
Store insulin properly
If you take insulin to treat your diabetes, keep a close eye on how you store it. If your blood sugar levels are consistently higher than expected, it's worth considering whether your insulin could have been damaged in the sun. Insulin, in the hot weather especially, is best kept in the fridge or a cool bag (taking care that it does not freeze).
When damaged by heat, clear insulin generally becomes cloudy and cloudy insulin becomes grainy and sticks in the side of the glass. Insulin that has been exposed to bright sunlight sometimes has a brownish colour. Do not use insulin that looks like this. Speak to your GP or a healthcare professional if you're unsure.
Stay hydrated
If you’re being active or just relaxing, everyone knows that hot weather will make you sweat. This is your body's natural way of cooling down, but you’ll need to replace the fluids.
Drinking water or sugar-free soft drinks will help you to stay hydrated. Carry drinks with you and make sure you have regular sips. Becoming dehydrated increases the risk of hyperosmolar hyperglycemic syndrome(HHS) orDiabetic ketoacidosis(DKA).
Other top tips
When you're out and about in the sun, remember to:
wear long sleeves, loose trousers, a hat and sunglasses with a UV 400 label
apply suncream to exposed areas of your body 15 to 30 minutes before going out in the sun
if you have neuropathy, you may not be aware of your feet burning, so wear suncream and flip flops on hot ground.
Heat exhaustion
Heat exhaustion can develop when the body finds it difficult to keep cool. Symptoms include headaches, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, tiredness, muscle cramps, stomach cramps and pale skin. As some of these could also be due to unstable blood sugar levels, it's important to test regularly.
Heat exhaustion needs immediate treatment. Move to a cool place to rest and sip a cold drink. If left untreated, heat exhaustion can lead to the more severe and potentially life-threatening condition heat stroke, so take action straight away.
Symptoms of heat stroke include confusion, hallucinations, rapid breathing and convulsions, all of which require immediate medical attention.
