The standard nutritional recommendations for diabetics used to promote the inclusion of three meals and three snacks a day, in an attempt to keep blood sugar levels more stable. However, from the evidence from the latest studies, the recommendations have evolved and are now better individualized for each diabetic. Not all diabetics need a bedtime snack. Consult your diabetes team for help deciding how you should plan your meals and snacks for optimal control.
Role of a Bedtime Snack
The main role of a bedtime snack is to prevent nocturnal hypoglycemia, especially in young diabetics and diabetics taking insulin to manage their blood sugar levels. Nocturnal hypoglycemia happens when your blood sugar levels drop too low during sleep, which can be very dangerous, leading to convulsions, coma and even death. Some diabetics can have nightmares and awake with cold sweats when their blood sugar levels drop low in the middle of the night, but others do not have any symptoms.
Do You Need a Bedtime Snack?
Most diabetics do not need a bedtime snack, especially if you are not on insulin or if you need to lose weight. Your diabetes educator or registered dietitian can help you decide whether a bedtime snack is appropriate for you or not. The usual rule of thumb is that you may need a snack if your blood sugar levels are below 126 mg/dL, but you definitely don't need to snack before going to bed if your blood sugar levels are above 180 mg/dL, according to dietitian Sejal Dave.
Best Time
The time to have a bedtime snack can vary depending on your own schedule and should be determined with the help of your diabetes team. For most people, it should be within one to two hours before going to bed. If you go to bed at 10 pm, and your diabetes educator recommends that you take a bedtime snack to keep your diabetes under control, you should eat it between 8 pm and 10 pm. Ideally, you should have your snack at least two to three hours after your dinner to allow your body to digest your previous meal before eating again.
Best Bedtime Snacks
An ideal bedtime snack should provide 15 to 30 g of carbohydrates along with a source of protein, unless your diabetes team recommends a different snack. For example, your bedtime snack could be one to two slices of bread with peanut butter, crackers with cottage cheese, an apple with almond butter, grapes with mozzarella cheese, a glass of milk or a serving of yogurt.
