What Should Blood Sugar Be At Bedtime? Routine Checks of Diabetes Management

What is your blood sugar goal at bedtime? You might find it hard to believe, but what you eat and drink can make a big difference in your blood sugar levels at bedtime. For instance, if you have high blood sugar and still drink soda or juice before bedtime, then what should your blood sugar be at bedtime will likely not hit the target range of 5.0-8.3 mmol/L (90-150 mg/dL). And if that happens, what should happen next will depend on how severe the situation is.

Key Takeaways

• People with diabetes aim for 100-140 mg/dL (5.6-7.8 mmol/L) blood sugar at bedtime.
• Sleep, exercise, and food choices impact nighttime blood sugar.
• The rise in morning blood sugar is called the Dawn Phenomenon.
• Too much insulin or skipping a bedtime snack can cause high morning blood sugar.
• To sleep well, people with diabetes should check blood sugar before bed, avoid low blood sugar, and eat a balanced bedtime snack.
• Avoid alcohol, heavy exercise, and stimulants before bed for better sleep.

Easy Before Bed Routines for People with Diabetes

You might be surprised to learn what your blood sugar should be at bedtime. The range is usually 5.0-8.3 mmol/L (90-150 mg/dL), and it’s important to check what yours is before going to bed. Checking your blood sugar before you go to sleep will give you information about what caused any spikes or dips in the day that you might not have noticed. For instance, if your nighttime reading were high, this would tell us that something may have happened during the day (perhaps a missed meal) that could affect your diabetes management plan.

Creating a bed routine can also be helpful if your blood sugar at bedtime is higher than what you’d like it to be. For instance, rather than eating or drinking anything sweet before bedtime and then checking how what should happen next for diabetes management will depend on what the readings are in the morning, try adding this into a routine:

• Always check your glucose levels with a glucose meter or your CGM
• Eat dinner earlier in the evening
• Don’t drink sugar-sweetened beverages before bedtime
• Eating a nitrile snack before bed helps maintain your blood sugar normal and prevents your liver from releasing excess glucose
• Limit alcoholic beverages to the extent they disturb sleep
• Too close to bed exercises often can cause poor sleeping habits
• Avoid eating caffeine within several hours of going to bed
• Take medicine if needed to lower your blood sugar levels, but don’t take too much insulin so you won’t have a low reading in the morning.

Always consult with your doctor before changing anything to your diet, insulin plan, or diabetes management.

What Is Normal Blood Glucose?

No one blood glucose level defines a person as usual. According to the American Diabetes Association, the table of blood glucose levels below gives the appropriate values at different times and in other states. For example, insulin-dependent diabetics often use an upper limit of 7 mmol/L or 140 mg/dL, while non-insulin-dependent diabetics may aim for less than 6 mmol/L or 108 mg/DL.

For adults 20 years or older, blood glucose levels range between less than 100 and 180 mg/dL. However, this may vary depending on your age.

• Fasting: Less than 5.6 mmol/L or 100 mg/DL
• Before meal: 3.9-7.2 mmol/L or 70-130 mg/DL
• 1-2 hours after eating: Less than 10 mmol/L or 180 mg/DL
• Bedtime: 5.6-7.8 mmol/L or 100-140 mg/DL

The above numbers differ for everyone, depending on your doctor’s recommendations.

Do Your Blood Sugar Levels Drop When You Sleep?

Yes, people with diabetes may experience a blood sugar level that drops when they sleep. This is mainly due to a phenomenon called the dawn effect.

This doesn’t always happen, and it’s not something everyone experiences; as time goes on, our bodies will tell us which pattern is best for us: whether we should eat before bed. It’s essential to experiment with what works best for our individual needs—if eating before bed causes our blood sugar to drop too low, then we’ll know that it’s best to avoid eating for hours before bed to control our blood sugar.

If we experience a drop in blood sugar levels, some strategies may help us prevent or treat it. Some people take insulin before bed if they know their blood sugar is too high; others might drink juice or eat cereal with milk before bedtime if they have low blood sugar at night.

The Dawn Phenomenon

The dawn phenomenon occurs when people experience a spike in their blood sugar levels right before they wake up. This can happen for many reasons, and several different types of diabetes can cause it. Dawn is quite common in people with type 1 diabetes.

The dawn phenomenon can happen because the body tries to secrete insulin independently, perhaps due to low blood sugar during sleep. The pancreas may also release hormones that trigger an increase in glucose or byproducts like cortisol, which are known to break down muscle and cause gluconeogenesis (the process of forming new supplies of glucose). The body cannot use this glucose. Instead, it adequately converts excess blood sugar into fat.

The Somogyi Effect

The Somogyi Effect can cause high blood sugar levels in the morning if you take too much insulin before bed or skip your nighttime snack.

When blood sugar reaches a low point during sleep, your body produces hormones that block insulin’s effects. This increases your risk for rebound hyperglycemia– an early morning rise in blood sugar levels following a drop overnight.

Sleeping Habits and Diabetes

According to research, insomnia affects how well you respond to insulin. People who sleep more than 9 hours each night also tend to have higher rates of diabetes. Sleep apnea can also increase someone’s probability of diabetes. Researchers have discovered that sleep-induced diabetes could raise the risk of other types of diabetes. More than 400 respondents reported how much sleep they got the night before.

Therefore, it’s essential to stabilize glucose levels and get a good night’s rest so you have enough strength throughout the day. Below are some tips for creating the perfect routine and glucose management strategies.

1. Check your blood sugar levels before sleeping

Checking your blood sugar levels before sleeping is a good idea to ensure you’re not going low. If you use a glucose meter, avoid going to bed with hypoglycemia. If you have a continuous glucose monitor, make sure you review the

It might take some practice, but eventually, this routine could become natural, and we’ll be able to accurately represent what our body needs without thinking about it.

If any numbers seem high, feel free to check with your doctor as soon as possible so they can help you figure out how best to get them under control. We want those numbers right where they should be!

2. Eat a bedtime snack

Eating a bedtime snack before bed is an excellent idea to help prevent blood sugar levels from decreasing overnight. Eating about two hours before bed is best—this is when your insulin starts working, and it will avoid any low blood sugars between dinner and breakfast.

This snack should contain carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber (preferably fruit, grains, or nuts). Eat a modest amount of food, but ensure it has enough calories for your body weight so you don’t wake up hungry in the middle of the night.

Your goal at bedtime isn’t just checking how much glucose is circulating through your system; instead, you want to have stable blood sugar throughout the evening – which means being mindful of what we’re putting into our bodies.

3. Avoid alcohol before nighttime

Another good habit is to avoid alcohol before going to bed. This can cause your blood sugar to increase quickly but leave you with low levels overnight. Avoiding alcohol for a few hours before bedtime will help keep the glucose in balance and prevent fluctuations.

If you do drink alcoholic beverages before going to bed, try to eat a healthy snack with some carbohydrates to catch that low blood sugar after drinking alcohol. 

4. Avoid excessive exercise late at night

Try to avoid exercise late at night before going to bed. If your blood sugar is less than 5.6 mmol/L or 100 mg/DL before sleeping and you want to exercise, double your food portion. Excessive exercise late at night can increase blood sugar the next day. 

5. Don’t skip dinner

If people with diabetes don’t eat dinner, they are at risk for developing high or low blood sugar levels during the night. Eat dinner earlier in the evening. Make sure to eat dinner; have a bedtime snack before bed to stabilize your glucose levels. 

6. Stay away from stimulants

Stimulants can affect your sleep cycle in a few different ways. Some stimulants have light, addictive properties which create a decreased quality of sleep. Also, the brain needs time to wind down and feel relaxed for quality shut-eye, so these drugs will not only make you anxious, but they’ll also keep you up at night with the inability to fall asleep. One of the well-known stimulants is caffeine, which can be found in coffee, coffee, and tea. Stay away from this and other stimulants before bedtime to have a more natural night’s sleep. 

7. Take a walk

The idea is to walk for fifteen minutes or so before bedtime. This has two main benefits. First, it will take some of the pressure off your feet by helping them go into what’s called “the plantarflexed position.” To use this position, start by rolling onto your back and pushing yourself until you feel your heels are on the ground. Next, take one foot and pull it up between your thighs. Repeat with the other leg. In this position, take fifteen minutes to do all four stretches or even just take a short stroll inside while rubbing those tired feet down with some foot cream!

The second benefit is that walking around helps regulate blood sugar levels via exercise. Endorphins are released when you take a walk, which also leads to better moods. The key is to take those fifteen minutes before bed for much-needed relaxation—go on a “walkabout.” Don’t make it excessive exercise!

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Knowing your blood sugar level before bedtime is essential because it can affect how you sleep and the rest of the day.

If your blood sugar is high at night, you may need to adjust your insulin dosages or change your diabetes management plan, but don’t worry! If your numbers are usually normal, then there isn’t anything wrong with this number when checking for bedtime.

It is always good practice to check for high or low blood sugar before bed so that any problems can be addressed as soon as possible.