High blood sugar: After spending hours sleeping without consuming any carbs or any food, you may wake up with elevated glucose levels early in the morning. It is a part of the daily routine of many people especially one with diabetes. There are multiple reasons why your glucose levels may be higher in the morning, one of these is known as the ‘dawn phenomenon’ which occurs early in the morning (3 am and 8 am) while you are asleep.
During the early hours of the morning, the body signals the liver to boost the production of glucose, which provides energy that helps you wake up. This triggers cells in the pancreas to release insulin to keep blood glucose levels in check. But if you have diabetes, your body may not produce enough insulin or is insulin resistant to counter the increase in blood sugar. As a result, your blood sugar readings go up when you wake up.
The spike in blood-sugar is your body’s way of ensuring that you have enough energy to get up and start the day. You may also experience this sudden boost in blood sugar level due to many other reasons, like:
– Not having enough insulin in your body, the night before.
– Irregulairty with prescribed medications.
– Eating the wrong or unhealthy snack before bedtime.
The effects of these elevated blood sugar level can vary from person to person. There are a few things that you can do to manage your blood sugar level so that they don’t run high in the morning, however, if this is a regular phenomena for you- visit a healthcare expert or your doctor immediately.
Check your blood glucose before sleeping
If your blood sugar level is high before bedtime then it will remain high throughout the night and hence you will wake up with an elevated level of blood sugar. Consider changing your dinner time, along with the kind of food you are eating to notice a significant difference in your glucose levels. Also, consider adding some basic physical exercise such as a 10-15 minute walk daily to lower your glucose .
Spot the pattern
Analyzing information like your dieatry choices and daily activities and further understanding the role it plays can go a long way. For people with diabetes, it could also mean that you’re not using enough insulin or are injecting at the wrong time of day. But for people without the condition, it mainly points to the need for making important but simple dietary and meal schedule changes.
Work it out
Exercise can prove beneficial in controlling these elevated levels of blood sugar in the morning. If you have declining levels of insulin, an after-dinner walk or other workouts can help keep your blood sugar down overnight. However, be cautious while working out at night because the blood sugar-lowering effects of exercise can last for hours and can lead to low blood sugar overnight. Thus morning exercise is the best!
Also read:7 food items to lower your blood sugar level naturally – check list and regulate diabetes
Avoid late-night meals
If you snack after your evening meal especially carbohydrates you may wake up with high blood sugar level. Hence, keep a regular time for your meals in a day. Timing is as important as the type of food you consume.
Eat proper breakfast
Proper and timely meals are an important factor to manage blood sugar levels in individuals, especially, for people with diabetes who often experience fluctuations in blood glucose levels. Considering that the first meal of the day is breakfast, it is vital that your meal are healthy and accurate. Eating a balanced breakfast which is low in carbohydrates high in protein content, fibre-rich fruits or vegetables and complex carbs can help to manage sugar levels better.
Also Read: High blood sugar: 7 herbs to add to your diet to manage diabetes
Managing blood sugar level is diificult, but by making some basic lifestyle changes and quitting bad habits can work wonders for you in addition to your prescribed medication.
(Disclaimer: This article is based on general information and does not substitute for an expert’s advise. Zee News does not confirm this.)