Who Is At Risk
Some people claim to have never had problems going to bed and waking up at the right hour. And for others, troubles in this area are very common. Many take it as a sign of their character and composition, but its not necessarily so. If you cant fall asleep, toss and turn regularly, and / or wake up before its time, you should check if youre in high risk of diabetes.
Meal And Alcohol Timing And Glucose Levels
When you wake up after a long nights sleep, your body has been in a fasting state for quite a few hours. During this fasting period, your body expends circulating and stored glucose to perform all the usual physiologic processes. If you tend to stop eating earlier in the evening and do not snack at night, this fasting window will be greater, leading to lower glucose levels during that night.
Additionally, drinking alcohol in the evening could lead to low glucose values overnight. Its thought that drinking alcohol the livers ability to make new glucose via gluconeogenesis, leading to lower circulating glucose levels. To counter this decrease, alcohol stimulates the breakdown and release of stored glucose . This balance between impaired gluconeogenesis and increased glycogenolysis means that alcohol shouldnt significantly affect glucose levels for normal, healthy individuals eating a standard diet.
However, the situation is different for those whove been fasting or are in a ketogenic state because these individuals already have much less glucose stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles. Normally this state prompts the liver to produce new glucose via gluconeogenesis, but, as noted above, alcohol inhibits this process. The result is that glucose levels can fall to dangerously low levels, and in extreme cases, this hypoglycemic state can lead to seizures, coma, or death.
Is Low Blood Sugar Disrupting Your Sleep
Have you ever woken up in the middle-of-the-night and arent sure why? Or felt really restless at night and spent your time tossing and turning? The culprit may actually be low blood sugar.
How can your blood sugar dip as you spend the night snoozing? Low blood sugar can cause restless sleep because even though we are sleeping, our body is still using glucose as its energy source for our heart to beat and our brain to dream, says Tony Castillo, a registered dietitian with Nutrition for Performance in Stuart, Florida. That could result in nightmares, sweating and shakiness that triggers a stress response that wakes you up, he explains. Low blood sugar is also called hypoglycemia.
Getting good sleep is important for everyone. In fact, poor sleep affects your health and weight, and people who log fewer hours of sleep or dont get consistent sleep are more likely to have a higher BMI, according to research in JAMA Internal Medicine. Doing what you can to ensure an adequate and restful night of sleep is one key factor in maintaining a healthy weight.
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What Is The Dawn Phenomenon
Another reason for high nighttime blood sugar levels is the dawn phenomenon. The dawn phenomenon occurs early in the morning when the body naturally signals your liver to produce glucose, giving your body the energy it needs to wake up.
The hormonal changes associated with the dawn phenomenon happen to people with or without diabetes, though those without diabetes do not experience hyperglycemia. If you take insulin, you may need to try a new basal insulin or adjust the timing and amount of your basal dose or your nighttime basal rates to cover an early morning rise.
How Does Fiber Control Blood Sugar
end organs such Can cortisone injection affect blood sugar weeks as the eyes , kidneys , the brain , and the guts Testing your urine with a urine test strip will reveal the presence of ketones in your urine high levels of these chemicals are a Low blood sugar episode diarrhea potential sign of diabetic ketoacidosis.
The harm to your eyes starts when sugar blocks the tiny blood How To Control High Blood Sugar At Home vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed To make up for these blocked blood vessels, your eyes then develop new blood vessels that don t work nicely In later phases of the illness, Low Blood Sugar Symptoms blood vessels in the retina begin to bleed into the vitreous gel like Candy to keep on you when blood sugar drops fluid that fills your eye If this happens, you may see dark, floating spots or streaks that look like cobwebs Sometimes, the spots clear up on their very own however it s Normal Blood Sugar Levels necessary to get therapy right away Without treatment, the bleeding can occur once more, get worse, or trigger scarring.
The definitions and descriptions that comply with are drawn from the Report of the Expert Committee on the Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus The report was first accredited in 1997 and modified in 1999 Although different phrases are found in older literature and stay in use, their use in present medical practice is inappropriate.
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What To Do About It
All the evidence suggests that one of the key things adrenal fatigue sufferers can do to improve their sleep hygiene is to keep a close eye on blood sugar levels. Glucose monitors can be bought relatively cheaply online and are the best way to get a clear indication of fluctuating blood sugar levels. This information can then be used to help make better choices about diet, which is fundamental for getting blood sugar under control.
The next step is to plan balanced meals based around healthy choices. Avoid eating too many refined carbohydrates and processed foods which contain hidden sugars which cause blood sugar levels to spike. A ton of recipes and useful information around the topic of diet can be found on the website, and a complete list of which foods to eat and avoid can also be found in the Adrenal Fatigue Solution e-Book.
Although having adrenal fatigue often means lacking the energy to exercise, doing a small amount of physical activity during the day can also help you get a better nights sleep. A gentle yoga class or even a walking the dog for half an hour during your lunch break can really make the difference between feeling tired, or wired at the end of the day.
Great Bedtime Snacks For People Living With Diabetes
For some people, a healthy bedtime snack helps to prevent glucose swings during the night. By eating a small snack that is full of protein and healthy fats , your body may be better able to avoid an overnight high but if you take insulin, be sure to cover the carbohydrates in your snack even if it only requires a small dose of insulin.
Here are some snack ideas:
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Plain nuts or seeds try eating a small handful
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Raw vegetables, such as carrots, celery, cucumbers, or tomatoes, with a small amount of hummus or peanut butter
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Plain yogurt, and you can add berries or cinnamon
Remember, a bedtime snack is only helpful for some people. To see if it works for you, youll have to carefully monitor your glucose before bed, during the night, and when you wake up.
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How To Reduce Morning Dizziness
The most important thing you can do to reduce morning dizziness is to stay hydrated during the day.
Even if you dont feel thirsty, your body can still be at risk for getting dehydrated, especially if you have a very physically active job, if you work outside, or if you engage in a lot of intense exercise.
Aim for at least 8 cups of water a day and more if youre very active, pregnant, or are a type of person who tends to sweat a lot. Sweating will increase dehydration.
Avoid drinking alcohol, especially before bed, and drink a full glass of water before bed and after waking up before you even get out of bed. To make it convenient, you can keep a water glass or bottle next to your bed to drink water first thing in the morning.
If these measures dont work, you may have a medical condition thats causing your dizziness. In this case, you should consult your doctor to try to determine the cause of your dizziness.
A Low Blood Sugar Level And Driving
You may still be allowed to drive if you have diabetes or you’re at risk of a low blood sugar level for another reason, but you’ll need to do things to reduce the chance of this happening while you’re driving.
You also need to tell the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and your car insurance company about your condition.
For more information, see:
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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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Why Your Blood Sugar Is Low At Night And What To Do About It
While alterations in blood sugar are often thought to apply to people who have diabetes, adults without diabetes also experience dips and rises in their blood sugar that have effects on their body. What you eat, how much, when and at what times all impact your blood sugar levels. Heres what might be going on:
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Should All People With Insulin
Some CGMs have alarms that can alert a user or even the loved one of a user when blood sugar is low or approaching low. No one would argue that this isnt potentially life-saving technology.
Yet, most people on insulin still dont use one. Some cant get insurance coverage, others arent convinced about giving one a try, and even with coverage, the costs can add up to too much.
We can all try to get a good nights sleep, avoid excess alcohol intake, set alarms to wake us in the middle of the night, but many still feel vulnerable before going to sleep.
What have you experienced regarding waking up from lows? Are there times you wake up lower than others? What factors seem to influence this? Do you rely on a CGM? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Causes Of High Blood Sugar At Night
There are many causes of high blood sugar at night, including:
- A dinner or bedtime snack high in carbohydrates: Eating starchy or high-sugar foods late in the day can lead to high blood sugar at night, as well as high blood sugar in the morning.
- Illness or injury: Trauma can trigger a hypermetabolic response , leading to high blood sugar.
- Too little exercise: Exercise helps the body more effectively use insulin, so lack of exercise could contribute to high blood sugar.
- Too little insulin or diabetes medicine: When the body does not produce insulin or does not use insulin effectively and you dont properly take your injectable insulin or diabetes medicine, glucose can accumulate in the bloodstream.
- Menstruation:Progesterone is a hormone linked to a decreased production of insulin, which affects glucose metabolism and can potentially lead to high blood sugar.
- Pregnancy: Hormone levels fluctuate during pregnancy. Diabetes that occurs during pregnancy is known as gestational diabetes.
- Stress: Stress, as measured by levels of a hormone called cortisol, is linked to decreased insulin sensitivity. With this, glucose cannot get into your cells and be used for energy. As a result, glucose builds up in the bloodstream, leading to high blood sugar. When people are stressed, they may also overeat sugary foods or adopt other unhealthy eating habits.
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What Causes Night Sweats In Diabetics
- Insulin use: Hypoglycemia is more common in diabetics who use insulin to manage their condition.
- Exercise: Being more active means youll have used more glucose during the day. In particular, exercising in the hours before bed increases the chances of low blood sugar at night.
- Alcohol: Drinking alcohol in the hours before bed can decrease your livers ability to produce glucose overnight.
Always Follow Up With The Doctor
It is very important to call your doctor as soon as possible after experiencing nocturnal hypoglycemia. The patient and doctor should try to figure out what caused the episode and how to prevent it from happening again.Often the doctor will suggest:
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Changing the dose or timing of insulin or other medications
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Setting an alarm for the early morning so that the patient can test their blood glucose levels and determine how often the episodes occur
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Having the person wear a continuous glucose monitor that checks blood glucose every five minutes with an alarm that wakes the patient from sleep if levels start to drop too low. This option is usually reserved for patients who experience frequent or severe nocturnal hypoglycemia
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Low Blood Sugar At Night Is A Common Danger For People With Diabetes It Is Important For Both You And Your Sleep Partner To Know The Warning Signs And Have A Plan For Treatment
Untreated hypoglycemia can lead to a seizure and be life-threatening.
You know it is important to have tight control of you blood sugar with diabetes. Tight control is how you prevent diabetes complications. One of the dangers of tight control is letting your blood sugar get too low, called hypoglycemia.
The most dangerous time for hypoglycemia is when you are sleeping, a condition called nocturnal hypoglycemia. Up to 50 percent of diabetics may have episodes of nocturnal hypoglycemia. In fact, almost 50 percent of hypoglycemic episodes occur at night and more than half of dangerous episodes occur at night.
Treating Low Blood Sugar At Night
Treating low blood sugar at night is just the same as treating it during the day. So, the good news is that it doesnt need to be any more complicated than that!
Its a good idea to be prepared beforehand by keeping something with carbs by your bedside. Then, take the standard steps when looking into how to fix low blood sugar namely, the rule of 15.
The rule of 15 involves first taking 15 grams of fast-acting carbs and waiting 15 minutes.
If your blood sugar is still too low after that period, then take 15 grams of slow-acting carbs and wait to see if your blood sugar rises.
You can get more information on the rule of 15 by downloading our info sheet in PDF right here!
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Sleep Habits And Diabetes
While diet and obesity are big contributors to your odds of having diabetes, studies have found that sleep habits are, too, probably because over time, they can affect how well your cells respond to insulin.
In one study, more than 4,000 people reported the amount of sleep they got each night. Those who got less than 6 hours were twice as likely to have cells that were less sensitive to insulin or to have full-blown diabetes. This was true even after the researchers took other lifestyle habits into account.
Other sleep disruptions and disorders, such as sleep apnea, also seem to raise a personâs odds of having diabetes.
But the risk goes up at the other end of the spectrum, too. For reasons that arenât clear, people who sleep too much — more than 9 hours a night — might also have higher chances of getting diabetes.
How To Treat Someone Who’s Unconscious Or Very Sleepy
Follow these steps:
They may need to go to hospital if they’re being sick , or their blood sugar level drops again.
Tell your diabetes care team if you ever have a severe hypo that caused you to lose consciousness.
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Treating Night Time Hypos
The treatment for night time hypos is the same as the general advice for treating hypos
That is to take 10 to 15g of a quick acting sugary food and some slower acting carbohydrate such as a slice of bread to prevent a further hypo taking place.
Have some quick acting carbohydrate next to your bed so that if a hypo occurs, you can treat it as quickly as possible.