If you struggle with high morning blood sugar, there are plenty of ways to support healthy glucose levels.
Healthy morning blood sugars rely on a balance between monitoring your diet, tracking your blood sugar levels, and taking your medicines as prescribed.
Keep reading to learn about strategies that support a healthy morning blood sugar.
Consult with a healthcare provider
Address your concerns with your healthcare provider before making changes to your regimen. They may gather more information by guiding you to carefully track your blood sugars or recommending a monitor that tracks your blood sugar trends throughout the evening. These clues may provide insight as to whether the culprit is the evening meal, a nighttime drop in blood sugar, or too little evening medication.
Portion out meals
Portion control may support healthy glucose metabolism over the course of the day and evening [1]. A large evening meal may cause a spike in blood sugar levels that may take hours to balance out. To support a healthy morning blood sugar, consider portioning out your meals by either preparing them beforehand or using measuring tools.
Prevent nighttime lows
Nighttime drops in blood sugar may result in high morning blood sugars. This rebound effect happens because your body reacts to low nighttime blood sugars by releasing more glucose from the liver into the circulation [2]. If you see a low blood sugar reading at night, eating a small snack before bed may support healthy nighttime and morning blood sugars. Examples of healthy snacks are a handful of nuts and low-fat cheese [3].
Limit evening carbs
Counting your carbohydrate intake helps support healthy morning blood sugars [1]. Since carbohydrates are broken down into sugar, opting for an evening meal with a low glycemic index promotes healthy morning blood sugar levels.
Eat more fiber
An evening meal high in fiber helps support healthy morning blood sugars [4]. In addition to keeping you full, fiber helps delay sugar absorption and maintain steady blood sugar levels at night.
Get restful sleep
When your body gets too little or poor quality sleep, it responds to this “stressed state” by releasing a stress hormone called cortisol that drives your blood sugar higher at night [5]. Restful sleep supports a healthy stress response and promotes stable cortisol levels.
Take a walk
Exercise supports a healthy response to insulin and optimizes blood sugar levels [6]. A walk after dinner may help balance your blood sugars, especially if they stay high throughout the evening and into the morning. If you prefer an alternate way to get in some movement with less stress on your joints, consider swimming or yoga.
Routinely take your blood sugar medicine
Since each medication targets different aspects of sugar metabolism, routinely taking each dose of your prescribed blood sugar medications supports healthy blood glucose levels.
By taking control of your lifestyle and teaming up with your healthcare provider to make changes that promote your health and wellbeing, you are one step closer to supporting healthy morning blood sugar levels!
References
- https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/eat-well/meal-plan-method.html
- Reyhanoglu G, Rehman A. Somogyi Phenomenon. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; May 9, 2021.
- Yang J, Park HJ, Hwang W, et al. Changes in the glucose and insulin responses according to high-protein snacks for diabetic patients. Nutr Res Pract. 2021;15(1):54-65. doi:10.4162/nrp.2021.15.1.54
- https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/features/role-of-fiber.html
- Hung HC, Yang YC, Ou HY, Wu JS, Lu FH, Chang CJ. The relationship between impaired fasting glucose and self-reported sleep quality in a Chinese population. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2013;78(4):518-524. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2265.2012.04423.x
- Sampath Kumar A, Maiya AG, Shastry BA, et al. Exercise and insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Phys Rehabil Med. 2019;62(2):98-103. doi:10.1016/j.rehab.2018.11.001
