Millions of Americans live with diabetes, a metabolic disorder that impacts the way the body uses the hormone insulin and sugar from carbohydrate-containing foods. The three main forms of diabetes include type 1, type 2 and gestational. No matter the type, monitoring your blood sugar is an essential part of managing the condition. Morning blood sugar testing helps set a baseline for controlling or intercepting complications that may arise from diabetes.
About Blood Sugar
Blood sugar refers to glucose, a single sugar molecule that is metabolized from carbohydrate-containing foods and absorbed into the blood stream during digestion. The main source of energy used in your body comes from glucose. Once glucose passes into your bloodstream it is met by the hormone insulin, produced by the pancreas, and the insulin helps transfer glucose into your cells for use as energy. In diabetes, insulin production is either inhibited or the cells do not respond well to insulin, which causes glucose to build up in the bloodstream. Daily blood sugar testing helps you determine whether blood glucose is in a safe range and if your diabetes is under control.
Morning Blood Sugar Monitoring
The frequency of your blood sugar checks varies depending on the care plan established with your physician. A morning blood sugar test may be warranted to determine how well your body responds to prescribed medications for managing insulin production or if you need to make any lifestyle changes that can impact results. The target blood sugar range in the morning after fasting at least eight hours should measure between 90 to 130 mg/dL. If your blood sugar is consistently lower than this you may experience dizziness, weakness, and headache. If your blood sugar is consistently higher you may experience drowsiness, increased urination, blurred vision and excess hunger.
Reasons For High Morning Blood Sugar
High blood sugar readings in the morning are caused by the dawn phenomenon or Somogyi effect. The dawn phenomenon and Somogyi effect result after a combination of hormonal fluctuations occur during your sleep. The hormones cortisol, glucagon and epinephrine increase insulin resistance. During your sleep cycle, these hormones get released as a response to drops in blood sugar overnight or if the medication you take before bed does not provide enough insulin to last until morning. The difference: the dawn phenomenon is due to uncontrolled hormone release, while the Somogyi effect is due to poorly managed diabetes.
Correcting High Morning Readings
Inform your physician if you experience consistently high morning blood sugar readings. You may have to change the time you take evening medications or your physician may increase the dose. Additionally, avoiding a carbohydrate-containing snack at bedtime may improve your morning readings. If you have gestational diabetes, getting to your target blood glucose is imperative to the health of you and your baby. Pregnancy hormones may cause blood glucose instability therefore testing several times a day helps you determine a safe plan of action. If you have prediabetes, temporary monitoring and lifestyle changes can get your glucose in a healthy range and make the difference between promoting or preventing full type 2 diabetes.
References
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: Diabetes Overview
- Cleveland Clinic: What Causes High Blood Sugar Levels in the Morning?
- MayoClinic.com; The Dawn Phenomenon; Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.; Nov. 21, 2009
- New York State Department of Health: The New York State Department of Health: The Importance of Controlling Blood SugarImportance of Controlling Blood Sugar
- American Diabetes Association: Checking Your Blood Glucose
- National Institutes of Health; Managing Gestational Diabetes; August 2006
