How To Lower Morning Blood Sugar
It seems strange to be able to keep blood sugar levels in control throughout the day and have morning blood sugar high, right? I mean, it doesn't seem logical. After all, you haven't eaten anything so it should be lower shouldn't it? It's a common assumption and it would seem logical, but it is common for people with type 2 diabetes to have high blood sugar in the morning. Why? Because your body continues to produce glucose even when you don't eat. It's called gluconeogenesis. This is a natural process for all of us. But in diabetes many people have increased gluconeogensis. Another reason is that cortisol (our stress hormone) is the hormone that slowly increases in levels from around 3 am onwards to reach it’s peak early in the morning. Cortisol has a direct influence on blood sugar levels too – elevating them. Still, there are practical things you can do to lower morning blood sugar levels, here's how… How to Lower Morning Blood Sugar Lowering morning highs has a lot to do with your overall health, diet, and lifestyle and usually incorporates a number of different factors. Put some of the following things into practice, give it some time, and no doubt you will start seeing an improvement. Just remember, the number you're aiming for with fasting blood sugar is between 90-110 (5-6.1). Try Apple Cider Vinegar & Cheese Before Bed One small study found that having 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with 1 oz (28 g) cheese (which is just 1 slice cheese) before bed reduced morning glucose by 4% compared to 2% when the participants only had cheese and water. People that had a typical fasting glucose above 130 mg/dl or 7.2 mmol/l had an even better result of 6% decrease in morning blood sugar levels. It’s not fully understood why vinegar has such a beneficial effect Continue reading >>
![[the Dawn Or Somogyi Phenomenon? High Morning Fasting Blood Sugar Values In Young Type-1 Diabetics].](https://diabetestalk.net/images/.jpg)
[the Dawn Or Somogyi Phenomenon? High Morning Fasting Blood Sugar Values In Young Type-1 Diabetics].
Abstract High blood sugar levels in the morning in juvenile type 1 diabetics may be caused by a Somogyi phenomenon (counter-regulation after nocturnal hypoglycaemia) or insulin resistance in the morning hours (dawn phenomenon). To enable differentiation between the two, 1,562 blood sugar profiles (24 h, 3 h, 6 h) were determined in 161 children and juveniles (74 boys, 87 girls; mean age 10.8 [1.0-19.7] years) with type 1 diabetes mellitus. In accordance with the mechanism of the dawn phenomenon there was a close positive correlation between the blood sugar levels in the night and morning (r = +0.696; P less than 0.0001); the mean fasting blood sugar level was about 60 mg/dl above the 3 h value. Low nocturnal blood sugar levels as a possible cause of a high morning blood sugar (greater than 250 mg/dl) was demonstrated in fewer than 1% of profiles. On the other hand, the probability of nocturnal hypoglycaemia rose exponentially in the presence of low morning fasting blood sugar levels. Thus, if the morning level was below 80 mg/dl, the blood sugar levels at 3 h was below 50 mg/dl in 41.2%. This indicates that high morning blood sugar levels result from the dawn phenomenon and require a higher evening dose of slow-release insulin. But if the morning blood sugar values are clearly below 100 mg/dl, the cause may be nocturnal low blood sugar levels and the evening insulin dose should, therefore, be reduced. Continue reading >>
Dawn Phenomenon: How To Control High Morning Blood Sugars
The dawn phenomenon is a normal, natural rise in blood sugar that occurs in the early morning hours, between roughly 4 and 8 a.m. The shift in blood sugar levels happens as a result of hormonal changes in the body. All people experience the dawn phenomenon to one level or another, which can vary day by day. People without diabetes may never notice it happening, as a normal body's insulin response adjusts for the rise without intervention. A person with diabetes is more likely to experience symptoms from the rise in blood sugar levels, however. How does it affect people with diabetes? Dawn phenomenon is a normal rise in blood sugar released by the liver. The release happens as the person's body is preparing to wake for the day. The rise in blood sugar is normally handled with insulin. For people with diabetes, insulin is not produced in high enough quantities, or the body is unable to use the insulin properly. As a result, a person with diabetes will feel the effects of having high sugar levels in the blood. These effects can include: faintness nausea vomiting weakness disorientation feeling tired extreme thirst Managing the dawn phenomenon Managing blood sugar levels is nothing new to most people with diabetes. A combination of diet, exercise, and medication often help keep the symptoms and problems under control. In the case of dawn phenomenon, there are some additional changes that may help prevent issues caused by the spike in blood sugar. Some steps people with diabetes can take to manage the dawn phenomenon include: changing medication entirely or making adjustments with a doctor on existing medication avoiding skipping meals or medication doses taking medication closer to bedtime and not at dinner time Other steps include eating dinner earlier in the evening. Afte Continue reading >>
Prediabetes
Print Overview Prediabetes means that your blood sugar level is higher than normal but not yet high enough to be type 2 diabetes. Without lifestyle changes, people with prediabetes are very likely to progress to type 2 diabetes. If you have prediabetes, the long-term damage of diabetes — especially to your heart, blood vessels and kidneys — may already be starting. There's good news, however. Progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes isn't inevitable. Eating healthy foods, incorporating physical activity in your daily routine and maintaining a healthy weight can help bring your blood sugar level back to normal. Prediabetes affects adults and children. The same lifestyle changes that can help prevent progression to diabetes in adults might also help bring children's blood sugar levels back to normal. Symptoms Prediabetes generally has no signs or symptoms. One possible sign that you may be at risk of type 2 diabetes is darkened skin on certain parts of the body. Affected areas can include the neck, armpits, elbows, knees and knuckles. Classic signs and symptoms that suggest you've moved from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes include: Increased thirst Frequent urination Fatigue Blurred vision When to see a doctor See your doctor if you're concerned about diabetes or if you notice any type 2 diabetes signs or symptoms. Ask your doctor about blood glucose screening if you have any risk factors for prediabetes. Causes The exact cause of prediabetes is unknown. But family history and genetics appear to play an important role. Inactivity and excess fat — especially abdominal fat — also seem to be important factors. What is clear is that people with prediabetes don't process sugar (glucose) properly anymore. As a result, sugar accumulates in the bloodstream instead o Continue reading >>
Why Is My Blood Glucose So High In The Morning?
I am puzzled by my blood sugar pattern. I am not on any medications. My morning fasting blood sugar is always the highest of the day—between 120 and 140 mg/dl. The rest of the day it is in the normal range. Why does this occur? Continue reading >>
Must Read Articles Related To High Blood Sugar (hyperglycemia)
A A A High Blood Sugar (Hyperglycemia) Whenever the glucose (sugar) level in one's blood rises high temporarily, this condition is known as hyperglycemia. The opposite condition, low blood sugar, is called hypoglycemia. Glucose comes from most foods, and the body uses other chemicals to create glucose in the liver and muscles. The blood carries glucose (blood sugar) to all the cells in the body. To carry glucose into the cells as an energy supply, cells need help from insulin. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas, an organ near the stomach. The pancreas releases insulin into the blood, based upon the blood sugar level. Insulin helps move glucose from digested food into cells. Sometimes, the body stops making insulin (as in type 1 diabetes), or the insulin does not work properly (as in type 2 diabetes). In diabetic patients, glucose does not enter the cells sufficiently, thus staying in the blood and creating high blood sugar levels. Blood sugar levels can be measured in seconds by using a blood glucose meter, also known as a glucometer. A tiny drop of blood from the finger or forearm is placed on a test strip and inserted into the glucometer. The blood sugar (or glucose) level is displayed digitally within seconds. Blood glucose levels vary widely throughout the day and night in people with diabetes. Ideally, blood glucose levels range from 90 to 130 mg/dL before meals, and below 180 mg/dL within 1 to 2 hours after a meal. Adolescents and adults with diabetes strive to keep their blood sugar levels within a controlled range, usually 80-150 mg/dL before meals. Doctors and diabetes health educators guide each patient to determine their optimal range of blood glucose control. When blood sugar levels remain high for several hours, dehydration and more serious complicat Continue reading >>
Blood Sugar: What Causes High Blood Sugar Levels In The Morning
There are two reasons why your blood sugar levels may be high in the morning – the dawn phenomenon and the Somogyi effect. The dawn phenomenon is the end result of a combination of natural body changes that occur during the sleep cycle and can be explained as follows: Your body has little need for insulin between about midnight and about 3:00 a.m. (a time when your body is sleeping most soundly). Any insulin taken in the evening causes blood sugar levels to drop sharply during this time. Then, between 3:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m., your body starts churning out stored glucose (sugar) to prepare for the upcoming day as well as releases hormones that reduce the body's sensitivity to insulin. All of these events happen as your bedtime insulin dose is also wearing off. These events, taken together, cause your body's blood sugar levels to rise in the morning (at "dawn"). A second cause of high blood sugar levels in the morning might be due to the Somogyi effect (named after the doctor who first wrote about it). This condition is also called "rebound hyperglycemia." Although the cascade of events and end result – high blood sugar levels in the morning – is the same as in the dawn phenomenon, the cause is more "man-made" (a result of poor diabetes management) in the Somogyi effect. There are two potential causes. In one scenario, your blood sugar may drop too low in the middle of the night and then your body releases hormones to raise the sugar levels. This could happen if you took too much insulin earlier or if you did not have enough of a bedtime snack. The other scenario is when your dose of long-acting insulin at bedtime is not enough and you wake up with a high morning blood sugar. How is it determined if the dawn phenomenon or Somogyi effect is causing the high blood sug Continue reading >>
Why Is My Blood Sugar High In The Morning?
That early morning jump in your blood sugar? It's called the dawn phenomenon or the dawn effect. It usually happens between 2 and 8 a.m. But why? Generally, the normal hormonal changes your body makes in the morning will boost your blood sugar, whether you have diabetes or not. If you don't, your body just makes more insulin to balance everything out. You don't even notice that it's happening. But if you have diabetes, it's different. Since your body doesn't respond to insulin the same as most, your fasting blood sugar reading can go up, even if you follow a strict diet. The boost in sugar is your body's way of making sure you have enough energy to get up and start the day. If you have diabetes, your body may not have enough insulin to counteract these hormones. That disrupts the delicate balance that you work so hard to keep, and your sugar readings can be too high by morning. The effects of the dawn phenomenon can vary from person to person, even from day to day. Some researchers believe the natural overnight release of what are called counter-regulatory hormones -- like growth hormones, cortisol, glucagon and epinephrine -- makes your insulin resistance stronger. This will make your blood sugar go up. You may also have high blood sugar in the morning because: You didn't have enough insulin the night before. You took too much or too little medicine. You ate the wrong snack before bedtime. If the dawn phenomenon affects you, try to: Eat dinner earlier in the evening. Do something active after dinner, like going for a walk. Check with your health care provider about the medicine you’re taking. Eat breakfast. It helps bring your blood sugar back to normal, which tells your body that it's time to rein in the anti-insulin hormones. Eat a snack with some carbohydrates and Continue reading >>
High Blood Glucose Levels Before Breakfast
Tweet If you are regularly having high sugar levels before breakfast, there are a number of causes which could be the reason for it. Below are some of the more common reasons, including an explanation of how they can cause high sugar levels and what action you may wish to take to tackle the problem. For advice on how to spot high patterns, see our guide to dealing with highs and lows. Too little intermediate or long acting (basal) insulin If you are consistently getting high readings before breakfast, it could be that your long acting (basal) insulin is too low. If you take intermediate insulin (such as NPH insulin), consistently high sugar levels in the morning could be the result of taking too little intermediate insulin at dinner time. Action Consider increasing your dose of long acting or intermediate insulin. If increasing your insulin, do so gradually and test your blood glucose regularly to identify whether your blood glucose is going to low as a result. As always, be prepared to test your blood glucose if you feel the symptoms of hypoglycemia. If you at all unsure of how or whether to adjust your insulin, speak to your diabetes health team who will be able to help you. Be careful if you are considering increasing insulin Make sure your health team are happy for you to adjust your own insulin doses and consult them if you are in any doubt. If you increase your insulin, do so gradually to prevent risking severe hypoglycemia from occurring and test your sugar levels regularly to check low sugar levels are not occurring Having a meal with a delayed spike for dinner Some meals have a delayed spike, that is they can cause a significant rise in blood sugar levels that occurs a number of hours after having eaten. Meals that can typically lead to a delayed increase in bl Continue reading >>
The Liver & Blood Sugar
During a meal, your liver stores sugar for later. When you’re not eating, the liver supplies sugar by turning glycogen into glucose in a process called glycogenolysis. The liver both stores and produces sugar… The liver acts as the body’s glucose (or fuel) reservoir, and helps to keep your circulating blood sugar levels and other body fuels steady and constant. The liver both stores and manufactures glucose depending upon the body’s need. The need to store or release glucose is primarily signaled by the hormones insulin and glucagon. During a meal, your liver will store sugar, or glucose, as glycogen for a later time when your body needs it. The high levels of insulin and suppressed levels of glucagon during a meal promote the storage of glucose as glycogen. The liver makes sugar when you need it…. When you’re not eating – especially overnight or between meals, the body has to make its own sugar. The liver supplies sugar or glucose by turning glycogen into glucose in a process called glycogenolysis. The liver also can manufacture necessary sugar or glucose by harvesting amino acids, waste products and fat byproducts. This process is called gluconeogenesis. When your body’s glycogen storage is running low, the body starts to conserve the sugar supplies for the organs that always require sugar. These include: the brain, red blood cells and parts of the kidney. To supplement the limited sugar supply, the liver makes alternative fuels called ketones from fats. This process is called ketogenesis. The hormone signal for ketogenesis to begin is a low level of insulin. Ketones are burned as fuel by muscle and other body organs. And the sugar is saved for the organs that need it. The terms “gluconeogenesis, glycogenolysis and ketogenesis” may seem like compli Continue reading >>
Dawn Phenomenon (liver Dump)
Tweet Dawn phenomenon is the term given to an increase in blood sugar in the morning caused by the body's release of certain hormones. It is a relatively common phenomenon amongst diabetics. Although often confused, Dawn Phenomenon is different from Chronic Somogyi Rebound, because it is not brought on by nocturnal hypoglycemia. How is dawn phenomenon caused? Dawn effect occurs when hormones (including cortisol, glucagon, epinephrine) are released by the body, causing the liver to release glucose. The dawn effect therefore describes abnormally high early morning increases in blood glucose: Usually abnormally high blood glucose levels occur between 8 and 10 hours after going to sleep for people with diabetes Why does the dawn phenomenon occur? Researchers think that the release of the above-mentioned hormones may give rise to a brief period of insulin resistance which would also explain a rise in blood glucose levels. How is dawn phenomenon treated? Typically dawn phenomenon is treated by avoiding intake of carbohydrates at bedtime, adjusting how much insulin or medication is administered, switching to other medications or using an insulin pump. Tweet Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that results in hyperglycemia (high blood glucose levels) due to the body: Being ineffective at using the insulin it has produced; also known as insulin resistance and/or Being unable to produce enough insulin Type 2 diabetes is characterised by the body being unable to metabolise glucose (a simple sugar). This leads to high levels of blood glucose which over time may damage the organs of the body. From this, it can be understood that for someone with diabetes something that is food for ordinary people can become a sort of metabolic poison. This is why people with diabetes ar Continue reading >>
6 Things To Do If Your Blood Sugar Is Too High
Grapefruit also has a low glycemic index (GI), around 25, which means it doesn't raise blood sugar as quickly or as much as high-GI foods like white bagel (72) or even a banana (48) or watermelon (72). (The highest GI score is 100.) A 2006 study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, found that people who ate grapefruit (juice or half a fruit) before a meal had a lower spike in insulin two hours later than those taking a placebo, and fresh grapefruit was associated with less insulin resistance. All 91 patients in the 12-week study were obese, but they did not necessarily have type 2 diabetes. While the results are promising in those without diabetes, blood-sugar reactions to food can vary widely, so if you have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, test your blood sugar after eating grapefruit to make sure it can be part of your healthy eating plan. Getty Images Blood sugar is a tricky little beast. Yes, you can get a high reading if you throw caution to the wind and eat several slices of cake at a wedding. The problem is that you can also have a high blood sugar reading if you follow every rule in the type 2 diabetes handbook. That's because it's not just food that affects blood sugar. You could have a cold coming on, or stress may have temporarily boosted your blood sugar. The reading could be wrong, and you need to repeat it. Or it could mean that your medicine is no longer working, and it's time to try a new one. The point is, it's the pattern that matters, not a single reading. Whatever you do, don't feel bad or guilty if you have a high blood sugar reading. A 2004 study found that blood sugar monitoring often amplifies feelings of being a "success" or "failure" at diabetes, and when readings are consistently high, it can trigger feelings of anxiety or self-bla Continue reading >>
The Dawn Phenomenon: What Can You Do?
What is the dawn phenomenon that some people with diabetes experience? Can anything be done about it? Answers from M. Regina Castro, M.D. The dawn phenomenon, also called the dawn effect, is the term used to describe an abnormal early-morning increase in blood sugar (glucose) — usually between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. — in people with diabetes. Some researchers believe the natural overnight release of the so-called counter-regulatory hormones — including growth hormone, cortisol, glucagon and epinephrine — increases insulin resistance, causing blood sugar to rise. High morning blood sugar may also be caused by insufficient insulin the night before, insufficient anti-diabetic medication dosages or carbohydrate snack consumption at bedtime. If you have persistently elevated blood sugar in the morning, checking your blood sugar once during the night — around 2 a.m. or 3 a.m. — for several nights in a row will help you and your doctor determine if you have the dawn phenomenon or if there's another reason for an elevated morning blood sugar reading. What you can do Your doctor may recommend a number of options to help you prevent or correct high blood sugar levels in the morning: Avoid carbohydrates at bedtime. Adjust your dose of medication or insulin. Switch to a different medication. Change the time when you take your medication or insulin from dinnertime to bedtime. Use an insulin pump to administer extra insulin during early-morning hours. Continue reading >>
A Simple Trick To Lower Morning Blood Sugar
If you’re type 2 diabetic, you may be wondering why your blood sugar is so high in the morning. Every other time you test, your levels seem to be within range… But those morning levels, sometimes they are sky high and it puts you in a panic, questioning what on earth you may be doing wrong. Firstly, stop panicking — morning rises are a common occurrence in diabetics. However, it is important to understand why it happens and what you can do about it… The dawn phenomenon Logically you’d think that your blood sugar reading should be at it’s lowest in the morning. After all, you’ve eaten nothing and done nothing but sleep. But regardless of whether you eat, glucose production continues anyway… The reason for this is your body’s cells need fuel for your heart to beat, your brain to work and your organs to keep functioning. When you don’t eat, or when you’re asleep, the body can break down stores of available glucose (glycogenolysis) or enter a process called gluconeogenesis — a process that can use non-carbohydrate stores such as amino acids to produce glucose. Various hormones such as glucagon, growth hormone and cortisol, are also involved in raising glucose levels. To wake you up every morning, your body naturally activates these hormones from around 3 am onwards, which explains why it’s called the dawn phenomenon. In people without diabetes, insulin would normally counteract these hormones to prevent excessive glucose production. But since the insulin response and insulin sensitivity are altered in diabetes, your body may not compensate effectively. The Somogyi effect There is another phenomenon called the “Somogyi effect” or “rebound hyperglycemia.” This is when your body’s glucose levels decrease during the night (nocturnal hypoglyce Continue reading >>
Understanding Fasting Blood Sugar
Among the most common questions people have about Type 2 diabetes is this: how can they lower their fasting blood sugar? To answer this question in a way that will help you lower your blood sugar we are going to have to first explain why doctors measure fasting blood sugar and what it does--and does not--tell us about our blood sugar health. WHAT IS FASTING BLOOD SUGAR? Traditionally, fasting blood sugar is the value you get when you test your blood sugar after an 8 hour long fast--which is usually immediately upon waking. In a normal person this fasting blood sugar would also be the "baseline" blood sugar--the level to which blood sugar returns a few hours after every meal all day long. However, for reasons we will discuss later on, this is often NOT the case for people with Type 2 diabetes, whose morning blood sugars may be much higher than the baseline level they achieve after meals for the rest of the day. Doctors have for decades relied on the FPG (fasting plasma glucose) test which measures fasting blood sugar to diagnose diabetes. The reason for this is NOT that FPG test results predict diabetic complications. They don't. Post-meal blood sugar tests are a much better indicator of whether a person will get the classic diabetic complications, and the A1c test is a better indicator of potential heart disease. But the FPG test is cheap and easy to administer, hence its popularity. The value most of us would find much more helpful in assessing our health is not fasting blood sugar but something else: the number of hours a day our blood sugar spends elevated over the level known to cause complications, which is roughly 140 mg/dl (7.7 mmol/L). A person can wake up with a FPG of 130 mg/dl (7.2 mmol/L), but if it drops after breakfast and most hours of the day are spent w Continue reading >>
