Why is my blood sugar in the morning so high?
Blood sugar in the morning is a concern for all people with Type 2 diabetes. I was very confused after my diagnosis because my blood sugar in the morning seemed to be so high! This was even after fasting for 12 hours. Blood sugar levels can fluctuate from low normal to high throughout the day. This depends on many factors. Your blood sugar is the amount of glucose found in your bloodstream at the time of the glucose test. This number can change from hour to hour. It’s important to know when the best time to check your blood sugars is and what the numbers mean.
Factors that can affect your blood sugar
Many different factors can affect your blood sugar. Some of these factors include the type of food you have eaten, how much food you have eaten, and what time you eat your meals. Other factors include your physical activity level. Also, your medications, age, stress levels, illnesses, sleep, hormones, and water intake.
Why do we want to know what our blood sugar should be in the morning?
The most accurate blood sugar reading you can take is after not eating for at least 8 hours. The easiest time for most people to do this is after sleeping, which is in the morning. If you are a shift worker, then you will look at this number after your normal sleep cycle.
This is your fasting blood sugar. It’s best taken first thing in the morning or after waking up from your regular sleep cycle.
A normal blood sugar level in an adult without diabetes, after not eating for eight hours, is less than 100mg/dL1.
You can also check your blood sugar two hours after eating. Normal blood sugar in someone without diabetes two hours after a meal is between 90 to 110mg/dL.
What if my blood sugars are higher than the normal range?
People with prediabetes or diabetes can have higher than normal blood sugars. This is true even after not eating for eight hours. With diabetes, your ‘normal’ blood sugar range might be different from the normal range. Below you can see a table that shows the blood sugar level goals of someone with diabetes.
In the morning: Less than 100mg/dL
Before a meal: 70-130mg/dL
After a meal: Less than 180mg/dL
At Bedtime: 100-140mg/dL
We hope that your morning blood sugar is less than 100mg/dL. It is not uncommon for people with diabetes to have elevated blood sugar levels in the morning. This is often why people may need medications. They may need to also introduce eating changes. This is to help control their blood sugars if they have diabetes.
What should I do if I’m concerned about my blood sugar?
Each person’s body is different, and you can experience a wide range of blood sugars throughout the day. If you think that your blood sugars are too high or too low, please speak with your doctor. Order lab tests. Test your A1c and fasting blood glucose. Discuss medication and dietary changes that are right for you.
Adding 20 minutes of walking 5 times per week is incredibly helpful.
If your doctor suggests eating a high carbohydrate diet…run! Many doctors recommend snacking between meals. This gives the body no time to manage high blood sugars. You might want to seek other advice that will help you heal your prediabetes or Type 2 Diabetes faster.
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