Extra Glucose Storage Used During The Night
Our bodies have a unique system of storing some extra glucose in our liver, and these stores are called glycogen. When we eat foods that are turned into glucose as they are digested, a limited amount of this glucose is stored in the liver for emergency purposes in case we need a boost of energy to run away from a bear that is about to eat us.
For the average American, we typically dont encounter bears on a day to day basis, and this extra storage is mainly just that – extra. This extra glucose storage is used for another purpose also. If blood sugars get too low at night, the body releases some of its stored glucose into the bloodstream. More often than not, more glucose than needed is released into the bloodstream, causing you to wake up with a high blood sugar value- hiding the low blood sugar that happened in the middle of the night.
Diabetes Blood Sugar Levels Vs Normal Blood Sugar Levels
and more NDM impacts as a lot as 1 in 400,000 infants in the United States, usually through the first 6 to 12 months of life.
Following delivery, the child may expertise low blood glucose levels, notably if the mother s blood glucose ranges have been raised earlier than the birth People with diabetes have excessive blood glucose ranges brought on by a problem with the hormone insulin Several lab exams are helpful in the management of continual DM Home glucose testing can present tendencies of hyper and hypoglycemia.
For sufferers with T1DM, a regime of basal bolus insulin is the mainstay of therapy The Symptoms Of Low Blood Sugar other benefits of SGLT 2 inhibitors and GLP I receptor agonists are a reduction in body weight, blood pressure , and albuminuria GDM can be sophisticated by hypertension, preeclampsia, and hydramnios and may also lead to increased operative interventions.
The information Normal Blood Sugar Level on this website shouldn t be used as an different to skilled medical care or recommendation Contact a health care provider in case you have questions on your health This content is provided as a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, a half of the National Institutes of Health.
Key Tips For Maintaining Stable Blood Sugars For Health
Maintaining stable blood sugar is important for short-term and long-term health, whether we realize it or not. If youre having trouble figuring out how to keep your blood sugars stable, youre not alone! Lets talk about why stable blood sugars are important and how to keep them stable throughout the day.
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Tips To Prevent Blood Sugar From Dropping At Night
Hypoglycemia, also known as low blood sugar or low blood glucose, occurs when blood glucose levels drop below normalwhich is typically below a level of 70 milligrams per deciliter . With levels more commonly dipping at nighttime, otherwise referred to as nighttime hypoglycemia, this condition affects mostly patients with diabetes.
Bedtime Snack Ideas And Recipes For Diabetes
Learn more about each of these bedtime snacks for diabetes below!
Blueberry Zucchini Muffins: Nothing makes me more excited than a fluffy blueberry muffin. Make these zucchini blueberry muffins ahead of time and freeze for an easy bedtime snack during the week!
No Bake Lemon Cheesecake Bites: These no-bake lemon cheesecake bites are delicious and packed with protein and fiber!
Nutreat Nutreat is a low-glycemic, no added sugar snack loaded with prebiotic fiber and lots of flavor. Iâm not sure if I should compare it to nut butter, or some sort of pudding , but either way itâs a creamy delicious low glycemic bedtime snack for diabetes.
Simple Pecan No Bake Energy Bites: If youâre looking for the perfect quick and easy bedtime snack, these Simple Pecan No- Bake Energy Bites are a great option with only 4 ingredients and no added sugar!
Low Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites: These Low Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites are the perfect bedtime snack⦠theyâre very easy to make, vegan, and no-bake. O, and the secret little ingredient adds fiber and protein!
Low Sugar Brownie Bites: These Low Sugar No Bake Brownie Bites are a close spin off of my Low Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites They are perfect for a quick chocolate bedtime snack.
Avocado toast: Use my 5-minute guac recipe and have a slice of avocado toast on whole grain bread.
More to explore…
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Take Diabetes Medication As Prescribed
If you take diabetes medication, be sure to take it as prescribed by your healthcare provider. This is especially important if you take insulin to help keep your blood sugar levels stable.
If you dont take enough insulin, you may be more prone to having blood sugar spikes. Mealtime insulin is meant to be taken before meals to help avoid blood sugar spikes, so its important to remember to take it with you when traveling or eating meals outside your home.
Recognizing Hypoglycemia: Symptoms To Look For
Early symptoms of hypoglycemia include:
- Stubborn behavior
- Extreme sleepiness
If your childs blood sugar levels stay low and continue to drop, symptoms will get worse. This can lead to seizures or unconsciousness if not treated immediately.
If seizures or unconsciousness occur or if your child cannot safely swallow do not give them anything by mouth. You need to give them Glucagon or Baqsimi right away.
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Treating Low Blood Sugar At Night
There are two ranges of blood sugars to treat if your child is low because they need more carbohydrates if their blood sugar is less than 50.
Nighttime Low Blood Sugar Treatment For Children UNDER 5 Years Old:
| Blood Sugar 50 or less | Blood Sugar 51-100 |
|---|
- Any 15 gram carbohydrate item
Remember:
- 14 cup = 2 ounces
- 12 cup = 4 ounces
Do you still have questions about managing your childs blood sugar levels during the day or at night? Contact the diabetes team at Childrens Diabetes Center, Childrens Hospital & Medical Center at for more information about how to treat your childs blood sugar levels to keep them safe.
Ways To Prevent Low Blood Sugar At Night
Detecting nighttime dips in blood sugar can be tricky, but these simple strategies can help you prevent nighttime hypoglycemia and sleep without worry.
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Nighttime dips in blood sugar levels are common among people with diabetes. Authors of a study published in June 2013 in Quality of Life Research noted that people with diabetes type 1 or type 2 experience low blood sugar during sleep more frequently than many doctors realize.
Nighttime hypoglycemia can be caused by a number of different factors, from exercising too close to bedtime to drinking alcohol in the evening. If untreated, low overnight blood sugar levels can lead to headaches and loss of sleep and in extreme cases, seizures or even death. The good news is that preventing low blood sugar while you sleep can be achieved with a few simple steps:
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Swap Out Refined Carbs For Complex Carbs
Refined carbohydrates, or refined carbs, have been stripped of some of their nutrients during processing and arent in their natural form. Another type of refined carbohydrate is added sugars like white sugar and corn syrup.
Both of these types of carbohydrates are also referred to as simple carbs/sugars. When sugar is more simple, your body doesnt have to work as hard to break it down for absorption, which means it causes blood sugar spikes more than complex carbs.
Some examples of refined carbs and their complex carb counterparts:
- White bread whole wheat bread
- Potato chips sweet potatoes
- Sweetened applesauce whole apples
Hypoglycemia: What Should You Do If Your Child Has Low Blood Sugar
What your child eats, their energy, stress, illness, or even a sunburn all of these can cause changes in your childs blood sugar. Its normal for their blood sugar levels to go up and down throughout the day and night, and if it stays in a healthy range, it may not even be noticeable.
When your childs blood sugar is too low , you need to take action to get their blood sugar levels back to a safe range. Without treatment, your child may be at risk for dangerous symptoms, such as fainting, seizures, or a coma.
Fortunately, you can easily treat your childs blood sugar during the day or at night. Heres what you should know about keeping your childs blood sugar levels in a healthy range.
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Eat Balanced Meals That Include Protein And Healthy Fats
Protein is one of the three main nutrients, along with carbohydrates and fat. Unlike carbohydrates, protein doesnt cause blood sugar spikes as certain carbohydrates can. Eating protein with carbohydrates can promote more balanced blood sugar levels and help prevent blood sugar spikes.
Examples of protein include meat , poultry, fish, eggs, nuts and nut butter, seeds, legumes, and soy products.
Fats dont significantly impact your blood sugar levels either, and they can help make you feel full. Healthy fats are high in omega-3 fatty acids and lower in saturated fat. Eating healthy fats can also help promote healthy cholesterol levels.
Healthy fats typically come from plant-based foods like nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, and avocados, but theyre also found in fatty fish like salmon.
How To Minimize The Risk Of Nocturnal Hypoglycemia
Some diabetics set an alarm clock each night to check their blood sugar. Some do this only occasionally, believing that if blood glucose drops excessively during the night, they will wake up anyway. What should you do if you are at risk for nocturnal hypoglycemia? There is no definitive answer. Nocturnal control is most commonly practiced for the youngest diabetics. However, there is no clear guideline on whether it is enough to check sugar once, around the most sensitive hour of 3 a.m. or more often.
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What Are Some Tips To Prevent Nighttime Blood Sugar Level Dips
The Cause Of High Morning Blood Sugar Levels
Medications for diabetes – especially insulin – work by helping glucose enter the cells and lowering blood sugar values. This medication is adjusted specifically for each individual in order to make sure that blood sugars dont stay too high or drop too low. However, insulin may act in your body for an extended period of time, depending on the type.
During the day, we are constantly providing our body with sources of carbohydrates either by eating three distinct meals every several hours or grazing throughout the day. For those who choose not to eat anything between dinner and breakfast the next morning, this provides a window of potentially twelve hours with no carbohydrates entering the bloodstream. As mentioned before, insulin often works over an extended period of time, and may still be helping lower your blood sugar at night when you are sleeping and will cause a low blood sugar at night. You might be wondering how this will lead to high blood sugars in the morning right about now.
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Best Bedtime Snacks For Diabetics
If you have diabetes, you know that it is important to eat the right foods at the right time. Eating unhealthy snacks before bed can cause fluctuations in your blood sugar levels and make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep.
Thats why we have compiled a list of five great bedtime snacks for diabetics that will keep your blood sugar levels manageable.
These healthy snacks will help you wind down after a long day and ensure that you get a good night’s sleep.
How Bedtime Snacks Help Control Glucose Levels
Eating a snack before bedtime will shorten the window of time that your body is going without carbohydrates. For example, eating a snack with one carbohydrate choice mixed with protein and fat will help glucose slowly be released during the night, and will help make sure blood sugars dont drop at night when medications are working with no food entering your system.
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Understanding High Blood Sugar At Night
Blood sugar, also called glucose, is the body’s main source of energy. The body gets most of its glucose by metabolizing the carbohydrates in food, per Kaiser Permanente. For people with diabetes, their systems struggle to manage glucose correctly, leading to high blood sugar. But the treatment of diabetes can also cause low blood sugar .
“Some diabetes medications lower blood glucose levels during the night,” Jo-Anne Rizzotto, a registered dietitian nutritionist and director of educational services at Harvard’s Joslin Diabetes Center, tells LIVESTRONG.com. “But if blood sugar levels drop too low, the liver responds by releasing stored glucose.” This nocturnal release of glucose can cause high blood sugar during the night and into the next morning, known as the Somogyi effect. The good news? “People with type 2 diabetes don’t have this issue unless they’re on glucose-lowering medications,” says Rizzotto.
The Somogyi effect should not be confused with the so-called “dawn phenomenon,” another cause of high morning blood sugar, Rizzotto says. The dawn phenomenon is a product of human evolution it occurs in all people and involves the body pumping out extra glucose in the early morning hours to get the body ready to wake up.
Read more:What Are Normal Blood Sugar Levels and What Happens if They’re High?
Why Is It Important To Keep Blood Sugar Stable
Your body works at its best when everything is in balance, including your blood sugar. Even if you dont know what your blood sugar levels are like from hour to hour, your body can give you signs that things are out of order.
Having blood sugar that is either too low or too high can be risky. When your blood sugars are wildly fluctuating, it can cause noticeable symptoms that can make it difficult to get through your day. During a sugar crash, you feel more tired, have difficulty concentrating, experience headaches, or be in a bad mood. High blood sugars can cause these symptoms as well as increased thirst and blurred vision.
Over time high blood sugars cause stress to your blood vessels and increase the risk ofcardiovascular disease, nerve damage, kidney disease, and other conditions.
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Do My Tactics Work Every Time
HA! No, I still have nights where I go low and nights where I overeat to treat it, but they are really few and far between. Im not perfect, but always analyzing why I had a low and making adjustments going forward has helped a lot in reducing my nighttime lows. And having the right food and drink easily available has helped me treat my lows in the right way.
I hope this can help some of you and I would love to hear your advice and tricks as well. If you have a smart way of dealing with nighttime lows, please write it in the comments below this post so everyone can learn from it.
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Can Sleep Raise Or Lower Glucose Levels
Although it sounds contradictory, sleep can both raise and lower glucose levels. Our bodies experience a cycle of changes every daycalled a circadian rhythmwhich naturally raises blood sugar levels at night and when a person sleeps. These natural blood sugar elevations are not a cause for concern.
Restorative sleep might also lower unhealthy blood sugar levels by promoting healthy systems. levels. Even partial sleep deprivation over one night increases insulin resistance, which can in turn increase blood sugar levels. As a result, a lack of sleep has been associated with diabetes, a blood sugar disorder.
More research is needed to better understand the connection between sleep and blood sugar. So far, the following factors have been found to influence the relationship between sleep and blood sugar levels:
- Inflammatory markers IL-6 and TNF-alpha are increased by sleep deprivation and can cause insulin resistance, which impacts glucose
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