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Snack at night

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grainger

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hey all...

Just wanting a quick bit of advice please. I've been told by my DSN not to go to sleep on less than 7.0 but I'm finding that if I'm say 6.0 when I go to bed and I have a snack even just 1/2 digestive biscuit it sends my levels high - 10.0 by the morning.

Should I try not snacking and see what happens (3am test)? or should I be trying a different type of snack? Less carbs?

Help appreciated 🙂

Oh, and to everyone in Brum today hope you have a great meet and sorry I can't be there x
 
i've always been told your sugar levels should be at 12 throughout the night, i spose everyone gets told different.
 
I would have thought that it's worth setting your alarm for a 3am test and not snacking before sleep. What time do you take your Levemir? is it running out during the night and maybe should be increased?

Never heard of running at 12 at night, sounds way too high, how are you going to get a half decent Hba1c if your at 12 all night?
 
Well both bits of advice seem quite outdated to me, and seem more suitable for the peakier medium-acting human insulins I used to use as basal decades ago where a significant drop at 2-3am was much harder to avoid. Running (and then re-running as necessary!) a set of systematic basal tests with the aim of finding a timing and/or split of doses that aim to keep you within 1-2mmol/L of your bedtime reading throughout the night *should* mean you don't need to snack, unless you won't to - and certainly shouldn't need to run at 12 every night 😱
 
I find the levels I need to be safe before bedtime, depend a bit on what I've been doing - if I've had a very active day, I prefer to be at least 7mmol/l before sleeping, and if lower, will have a biscuit or something, but if it's been a boring inactive day, then I feel safe going to sleep with a level of around 5mmol/l. Obviously, if I know I'll have an active day, I can reduce my long acting insulin before and after, but if it's an unexpected active day, I can only adjust after it's happened.

But as others have said, the only way to be sure is to test at around 3am on a few nights - as I've mentioned the differences in levels with in/activity, I'd suggest checking after a few different sorts of days.
 
grainger said:
Hey all...

Just wanting a quick bit of advice please. I've been told by my DSN not to go to sleep on less than 7.0 but I'm finding that if I'm say 6.0 when I go to bed and I have a snack even just 1/2 digestive biscuit it sends my levels high - 10.0 by the morning.

Should I try not snacking and see what happens (3am test)? or should I be trying a different type of snack? Less carbs?

Help appreciated 🙂

Oh, and to everyone in Brum today hope you have a great meet and sorry I can't be there x
Click to expand...

Hi, what happens on a run of the mill day if you leave a level of 7 +mmols alone overnight - does is keep steady ?
If you are experimenting with anything lower it would be wise to set the alarm for the 3 am club 🙄

7 mmols is a decider at my sleeping time for my dtr same as Copepod, I will think about knocking her basal back marginally on the pump for 1-2 hrs depending on the day she has had.

Worth experimenting with as 10 too high to start the day. Just be safe and test x
 
William is on Lantus and it seems to hold him pretty steady. He will have a small snack if he is lower than 6. Mostly wakes up within range. I must say I am quite shocked about the advice to stay around 12 throughout the night, that has to be too high
 
I think 7 is a bit high frankly. 12 is far too high IMHO. But what do I know, not a medic and only had D for 40 years .....

I'd have been more than happy with 6.0 at bedtime, on MDI. There shouldn't be any prob as long as you haven't got shedloads of bolus floating about at that time (like you didn't eat dinner until an hour before, or something else odd) and you have as Mike said, your basal dose sorted properly and haven't had a Copepod 'active' day.
 
I've been told by my DSN not to go to sleep on less than 7.0 but I'm finding that if I'm say 6.0 when I go to bed and I have a snack even just 1/2 digestive biscuit it sends my levels high - 10.0 by the morning.
Click to expand...

As with all 'advice' from a DSN, you can safely ignore them unless by a some quirk of luck it actually stands up to scrutiny in the real world.

If you are on a basal insulin that matches your actual basal output from your liver, there is no reason to have a snack before you go to bed to artificially inflate your BGs.

The entire principle behind having blood sugar higher than 7 before going to bed dates back to using Lente and isophane insulins, which have aggressive action profiles. Lantus or Levemir should not drop your blood sugar, so there is no need to have a blood sugar 'cushion'. Provided of course, you know that your basal doesn't lower you at night - you'll need to test to find out.

i've always been told your sugar levels should be at 12 throughout the night, i spose everyone gets told different.
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I suppose so, but this advice is dangerous and frankly, bizarre and makes no sense. Normal fasting (ie. nighttime) blood sugars for non-Ds will be in the 4-6 range. The entire purpose of diabetes treatment is to restore normal blod blood sugar levels. Whoever's told you to keep your BG at 12 throughout the night - ask them why. No-one who is controlling their BG should ever have their BG that high unless they've made a mistake.
 
Thanks all for comments.

It's good to hear... I know that my levels do tend to hold steady - maybe a 1-1.5 drop but normally nothing more so I will try the no snacking when at 6ish and see what happens.

Also, responses have made me realise I need to read up more on exercise and effects... Plus need to do some testing to see how it all affects me.

Thanks again 🙂
 
www.runsweet.com is very good for information bout activity / sport with type 1 diabetes (not just running), both background physiology pages and case studies for many sports / activities.
 
I have never been told BG must be above 7mmol before bed, I am happy enough if it is between 5 and 7 - DAFNE guidelines are slightly different which you'll learn soon.

However didn't matter what I did , I used to always wake up with higher levels so I can't help on that score! 🙄

I have found the 3am testing very useful though, and I get back to sleep right away....maybe cos I am used to being woken by children now and again though! Knowing what is going on overnight is very helpful!
 
Estellaa said:
i've always been told your sugar levels should be at 12 throughout the night, i spose everyone gets told different.
Click to expand...

.....12!! 😱 that is absolute rubbish advice!! ....who ever told you that needs their a**e kicking and should look for other employment!
 
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