Checking a morning blood glucose level is a critical part of daily disease management for individuals living with diabetes. The morning blood sugar can be a barometer of the general management of diabetes as well as illustrating a patient's condition at the moment the blood sugar is taken. It is important to understand what normal blood glucose levels should be when the test is performed in the morning.
About Blood Sugar
Blood sugar is the term commonly used to describe the amount of glucose, which is a type of simple sugar, in a person's blood. A blood sugar test can be performed at home using a tool called a glucometer. This instrument provides relatively accurate readings of blood glucose levels if performed according to the glucometer manufacturer's instructions. Morning blood glucose tests are especially important because they indicate how a patient's blood sugar level is after a night without food intake.
Importance of Morning Glucose Levels
According to the American Diabetes Association, a normal blood glucose level for a diabetic adult is between 70 and 130 mg/dL prior to eating. A morning blood glucose that is too low may indicate that either a bedtime snack is needed or that adjustments to prescribed insulin doses should be made. A morning glucose that is elevated indicates that diabetes control is not adequate and that either diet or medication should be changed to achieve better control of the disease. Patients should not make changes to their diabetes management regimens without consulting their physicians.
Morning Glucose and "Sick" Days
When people living with diabetes change their routines for any reason, their blood glucose levels can also change. For example, a diabetic individual with an acute mild illness may change exercise levels, food intake, carbohydrate intake, sleep times, and compliance with medication regimens, and these can all affect blood glucose levels. People with diabetes who take long-acting insulins are at increased risk for hypoglycemia when they are ill, because the insulin may be working while the patient's food intake is decreased and cause sugars to drop too low. This can be especially problematic in the morning, since people may not identify signs of hypoglycemia while sleeping.
Expert Insight
Those living with diabetes need to carefully monitor their blood glucose levels in order to properly manage their disease. The morning blood glucose level is an important tool for these people, both to assess their blood glucose level at the moment of the test and to provide an indication of how well their diabetes is being controlled over a 24 hour day. Maintaining a morning blood sugar level between 70 and 130 mg/dL is one tool to help people with diabetes to maintain optimal health.
Cautions and Caveats
It is vitally important that people with diabetes work with their physician and perhaps also with ancillary personnel such as dietitians, exercise specialists. Patients should seek education opportunities and keep up to date on developments in the medical management of diabetes. The safety and well-being of the diabetic patient depends upon compliance with physician recommendations and prescription regimens.
