Blood sugar levels higher in the morning.

[Kad]

Hi, As I was diagonised with type 1 a few months ago, I'm still trying to learn what's happening, Can anyone give me any advise as to why my levels would be higher than the reading the night before. This has happened for the past 3 mornings. I go to bed with a level around 6 and wake up and it's gone up to 8.5. I have not had any snacks in the middle of the night. Does this mean I need to increase my bedtime levels of insulin? Thanks

 

[chili]

I am type 2 and i get similar readings to you. I think its called "dawn syndrome" where your body dumps some stuff ready for the day.
Sorry its not explained better 🙂

 

[Robin]

Hello Kad, the answer could be for a couple of reasons.
Most people have a similar overnight pattern, your body shuts down gradually til about 3am, so your glucose levels fall, and then your liver starts dumping glucose into the body ready to fuel the day ahead.
So the best thing to do is an overnight test, which means setting the alarm for 3am, to find out whether your levels are rising higher in the night, in which case you need to increase your basal, or whether you're falling, or even having a near hypo like dip, from which the body is rebounding, in which case lowering your basal might be necessary!
Most people have to juggle their basal to try and accommodate the dips and rises in the night as best they can. (of course, people with pumps can set different basal rates for different parts of the night, but not everyone gets the opportunity of getting a pump, or wants one)

 

[Kad]

I am type 2 and i get similar readings to you. I think its called "dawn syndrome" where your body dumps some stuff ready for the day.
Sorry its not explained better 🙂

Thanks, thought it was that but just wanted to check

 

[Kad]

Hello Kad, the answer could be for a couple of reasons.
Most people have a similar overnight pattern, your body shuts down gradually til about 3am, so your glucose levels fall, and then your liver starts dumping glucose into the body ready to fuel the day ahead.
So the best thing to do is an overnight test, which means setting the alarm for 3am, to find out whether your levels are rising higher in the night, in which case you need to increase your basal, or whether you're falling, or even having a near hypo like dip, from which the body is rebounding, in which case lowering your basal might be necessary!
Most people have to juggle their basal to try and accommodate the dips and rises in the night as best they can. (of course, people with pumps can set different basal rates for different parts of the night, but not everyone gets the opportunity of getting a pump, or wants one)

Thanks, guess I will be setting my alarm and see what happens.

 

[happydog]

Sounds like dawn phenomenon. I have that too. My BG is much lower during the night at around 3.00am than when I wake up. I have tried lots of things but have not found the solution yet. Sorry don't know much about T1. Good luck! 🙂

 

[DeusXM]

Some tips here - https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/still-dont-understand.46644/#post-497381

Given the relatively small rise, this sounds to me more like you may need a teensy increase in your basal.

 

[zx10pilot]

Thanks Deus that's a fascinating link. As a newbie type 1 too (a couple of months in and trying to get my head round my new condition) this type of extra info is really useful.

 

[Kad]

Some tips here - https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/still-dont-understand.46644/#post-497381

Given the relatively small rise, this sounds to me more like you may need a teensy increase in your basal.

Thanks for the link, I have increased my basal slightly and seems to have done the trick for the time being.

 

[trophywench]

A rise of up to 2 (well it's 1.7 actually if you want to be clinically precise LOL) is what non-diabetics see too overnight. When it persists then you should sit up and pay attention as you have - but if it's occasional (or linked to eg Thursdays when you always do something then go for a curry, so eat later etc) a 2.5 increase isn't massive.

 

[Margarita]

Hi, As I was diagonised with type 1 a few months ago, I'm still trying to learn what's happening, Can anyone give me any advise as to why my levels would be higher than the reading the night before. This has happened for the past 3 mornings. I go to bed with a level around 6 and wake up and it's gone up to 8.5. I have not had any snacks in the middle of the night. Does this mean I need to increase my bedtime levels of insulin? Thanks

 

[Margarita]

Hi Kad, There are so many reasons for a higher readings in the morning. Depending of how late you eat, what you eat and also how you slept during the night. If I make sure that I don't eat less than 2 hrs before I go to bed and eat something with a low GI which takes longer to digest, it seems to help. However, if I have slept well my readings are better than after a night with less sleep my readings can be higher. You will need to try various things and you will slowly find a way there suit you. But remember that our body changes and are not exactly the same every day. So don't worry too much.