A Low Blood Sugar Level And Driving
You may still be allowed to drive if you have diabetes or youre at risk of a low blood sugar level for another reason, but youll need to do things to reduce the chance of this happening while youre driving.
You also need to tell the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and your car insurance company about your condition.
For more information, see:
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How To Treat Low Blood Sugar At Night
Having a low blood sugar at night is the worst. THE WORST! If you are treating your diabetes with insulin, you know what Im talking about. That feeling when you wake up in the middle of the night soaked in sweat and shaking due to low blood sugar.
Your whole body goes into stress mode, and all you can think about is EATING! I absolutely hate it, so I wanted to share my approach on how to treat low blood sugar at night with you guys.
Sleepy Night Low Blood Sugar
Last night I woke up to Bender making a lot of noise. He was messing with his bed. At first I thought he was cold. Then he started wandering around the house bumping into walls and furniture. I know this act. He has low blood sugar. I get up and get Bender to the kitchen. But the only problem is what do I feed him? Since I switched him to a totally home made food diet I dont have food readily available for him because I portion out his food per meal and freeze it. I didnt even have carrots to give him. Just treats. Not good at all. I ended up giving Bender some of Lunas food. Just 1/4 of a cup. Enough to get him back to normal. I waited till he was fine and we went back to bed. But its another good reminder that if your dog is on a totally home cooked diet and you make and freeze the food. Make sure you have some thing to feed in case of situations like low blood sugar. I just made a 40 day batch of food which I froze. This weekend I need to make up a 1 meal batch of his food that I can separate into 3 small portions to freeze so I can keep it on hand for low blood sugar nights.Continue reading > >
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Tips To Prevent Nocturnal Hypoglycemia At Night
It is very important to identify the symptoms of nocturnal hypoglycemia early on to avoid serious symptoms or damage to biological functioning. So, lets begin with what an ideal glucose range should look like:
- Above 70 mg/dL to 110 mg/dl: optimum for smooth physiological functioning.
- Below 70 mg/dL: onset of mild hypoglycemia, symptoms of nocturnal hypoglycemia.
- 55 mg/dL and below: risk of severe daytime and nocturnal hypoglycemia.
If an individual has had symptoms of nocturnal hypoglycemia in the past then it is recommended to have a set routine that involves hydrating oneself upon waking up and consuming breakfast post morning ablutions. It is recommended to check ones blood glucose levels hourly and can be done with the help of a CGM . This nifty contraption can sound an alarm when a persons blood glucose levels fall too lowideal for identifying both hypoglycemia unawareness and nocturnal hypoglycemia. One shouldnt skip meals, especially dinner or overconsume alcohol, especially on an empty stomach. It is also important to hydrate and eat well post-rigorous workout, especially if one is working out in the evening.
Physical Activity And Nocturnal Hypoglycemia
The body uses the stores of simple sugars stored in the muscles and liver during the activity. The same reserves want to reach when blood sugar levels drop excessively. Hypoglycemia may occur if these reserves have been used during exercise and have not been rebuilt.
The body uses these reserves mainly at night when we do not supply it with energy with food. After an active day, you need to be especially alert to the possibility of hypoglycemia at night.
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Treating Low Blood Sugar At Night
Treating low blood sugar at night is just the same as treating it during the day. So, the good news is that it doesnt need to be any more complicated than that!
Its a good idea to be prepared beforehand by keeping something with carbs by your bedside. Then, take the standard steps when looking into how to fix low blood sugar namely, the rule of 15.
The rule of 15 involves first taking 15 grams of fast-acting carbs and waiting 15 minutes.
If your blood sugar is still too low after that period, then take 15 grams of slow-acting carbs and wait to see if your blood sugar rises.
You can get more information on the rule of 15 by downloading our info sheet in PDF right here!
Why Does Blood Sugar Rise At Night
Many factors can cause nighttime blood sugar spikes. These include, for example, meals eaten during the day, amount and timing of exercise, snacks eaten before bed, timing of insulin administration, and stress levels. Nighttime blood sugar spikes can happen in different ways. You may start with high glucose levels when you go to bed, start the night usually but a few hours later, your levels may spike, or spend most of the night normal until just before you wake up. By identifying your body’s patterns, you can determine what is causing your high blood sugar and how to remedy it.
- Eating too close to bedtime: whether you snack or eat a late dinner, the glucose spike after a meal can lead to high glucose levels at night. In particular, meals high in fat and carbohydrates can delay glucose absorption, causing a prolonged period of high blood sugar.
- If you have type 2 diabetes, a treatment plan that does not adequately address nocturnal insulin resistance or missed doses of glucose-lowering medications can cause high glucose levels at night .
- Overcorrecting low glucose levels before bedtime. If you need to correct your glucose levels before bed, take just enough glucose to stabilize your blood sugar. Limited-quantity preparations that raise glucose levels by a certain amount can be beneficial.
- Take less insulin before bedtime because of fear of low blood sugar overnight.
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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 get the night before.
Therefore it’s quite important to stabilize glucose levels and have a good night’s rest so you have enough strength throughout the day. Below you can find a few tips to create the perfect routine and glucose management strategies.
Dealing With Low Blood Sugar And Night Sweats
- Test your glucose levels before bed: If levels are already on the low side, you can take preventative action before going to sleep.
- Watch what you eat in the evening:
- Avoid wine, beer or other alcoholic drinks in the hours before bed
- Increase snacking if youve been more physically active during the day
- Avoid hot and spicy foods as these can cause night sweats even in those who dont have diabetes
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Causes Of Nocturnal Hypoglycemia
The chances of having night time hypos may be increased by the following:
- Too high a level of basal insulin
- Physical activity during the day can increase insulin sensitivity which can lead to night time hypoglycemia, particularly for the first night after a sustained session of activity
- Following a period of illness if basal insulin was increased
Are There Any Newer Technologies To Prevent Hypoglycemia
We are lucky that in this day and age, we can predict hypoglycemia and prevent it through technology like continuous glucose monitors, explains Dr. Shah. Additionally, he notes that there are newer insulins available to help decrease episodes of hypoglycemia.
One of our roles as your doctor is to educate every patient about the self-management of diabetes and to create a personalized care plan, explains Dr. Shah. By self-managing your condition you will really feel empowered enough to take control of your health.
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What If The 15
If you dont feel better after three tries, or if your symptoms get worse, call your healthcare provider or 911. Healthcare providers can use a medication called glucagon. They inject it with a needle or squirt it up your nose. Glucagon is also available for home use. Your healthcare provider can prescribe it and teach a family member or friend how to use it in the event of severe hypoglycemia.
How To Get Relief From Diabetic Night Sweats
- Keep your bedroom cool: Turn heating off or down to an absolute minimum in the hours before bed. You can also try leaving a window open or keeping a fan running to improve ventilation.
- Choose natural nightwear: Sleep in natural fibers such as cotton, wool or silk. These materials are more breathable and more effective at absorbing moisture than synthetic alternatives such as polyester. So, you can stay cool and avoid that clammy feeling.
- Sleep in natural bedding: As with nightwear, bedding made from natural fibers is more effective at regulating temperature and absorbing moisture. For maximum benefit try wool bedding as this natural fiber is more absorbent than feather/down alternatives. Partner a wool duvet, pillows and protector with cotton sheets and covers for best performance.
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How To Prevent Low Blood Sugars In The Future
There is probably no way to completely eliminate low blood sugars at night, but I have learned how to limit them quite a bit. What I do is pretty simple I try to learn from my mistakes. If I have a low during the night, Ill go back and see how my bolus and basal patterns were the day before, what I ate, and what I did.
For example, my last low blood sugar was at 4 am a few nights ago, and when I went back and analyzed the data, this is what I found:
Since it was 4 am and my last snack was at 11 pm, the low couldnt be due to my last bolus. I also hadnt changed my basal amount. However, I had moved my workout to later in the evening. So my conclusion was that to limit future nighttime lows, I should take less basal insulin before I go to bed if I work out later in the evening. Thats a pretty easy fix. I reduced my nightly basal and now Im sleeping through the night again and waking up with perfect sugars.
Nocturnal Hypoglycemia Night Time Hypo
Nocturnal hypoglycemia or night time hypos are common in people who treat their diabetes with insulin. Symptoms are usually only realised once waking up from a hypo.
Due to their nature, you will usually only find out about having a hypo during the night after waking up from a hypo.
Therefore people may not even be aware that they are having night time hypos, so its useful to be able to spot the signs and symptoms of when nocturnal hypoglycemia may be taking place.
Whilst nocturnal hypoglycemia is most common in insulin users, it can also occur for people who take oral anti-diabetic drugs.
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How Can I Stabilize My Blood Sugar Overnight
Modified: Apr 25, 2022 by John Coleman · This post may contain affiliate links ·
During sleep, deficient blood sugar levels are a big problem for people with diabetes. While during the day, we can usually recognize the symptoms of impending hypoglycemia without a problem, at night, we may sleep through them. This significantly increases the risk of severe hypoglycemia with loss of consciousness.
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Many factors influence the stability of blood glucose during sleep. First, the night is a consequence of the day. Whether we played sports, ate, or drank alcohol, how intense it was.
Lack of sleep increases the release of stress hormones, slows the metabolic rate, and makes it challenging to maintain optimal weight. People who don’t get regular sleep have an increased risk of dying from heart disease. Sleepless nights result in impaired tissue sensitivity to insulin , one of the causes of diabetes development.
Long-term sleep deprivation impairs glucose tolerance and exacerbates diabetes. In the morning, after a sleepless night, blood glucose can be too high and difficult to control, and sleep-disordered diabetics have considerable difficulty controlling their disease.
How To Treat Someone Who’s Having A Seizure Or Fit
Follow these steps if someone has a seizure or fit caused by a low blood sugar level:
Tell your diabetes care team if you ever have a severe hypo that caused you to have a seizure or fit.
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How High Blood Sugar Impacts Sleep
The symptoms you may experience with high blood sugar at night could make it difficult for you to sleep, including falling and staying asleep. Depending on when you eat prior to bedtime, your digestive system may wake you up at odd hours.
A related issue is known as the dawn phenomenon, which is when you wake up with high blood sugar in the morning. The foods you eat in the evening may contribute slightly to this.
Rebound Hypoglycemia After Eating
If sugar comes from the food you eat, why would blood sugar be low after eating? It may be due to a phenomenon called reactive hypoglycemia. This refers to low levels of blood glucose that react to high levels. According to Mayo Clinic, it can occur within 4 hours of eating a meal.
Say breakfast includes pancakes, syrup, and fruit juice. The meal is full of carbs: starch in the pancakes, added sugar in the syrup, and natural sugar in the fruit juice. Those carbohydrates get absorbed fast.
Blood sugar can skyrocket, especially in people who have prediabetes or diabetes. You may feel a sugar high, or burst of energy, within minutes to an hour of eating. Thenthe crash. The higher they fly, the harder they fall, is spot-on for blood sugar. If it went up, up, up, it will go down, down down, possibly below normal levels and into the range of hypoglycemia.
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Limit Alcohol At Night
Alcohol consumption can also increase the risk for nighttime hypoglycemia, so avoid regular consumption of alcohol. On special occasions, drink only in moderation no more than one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men and don’t wait to indulge with a before-bed nightcap. If you do have a drink in the evening, enjoying it with food can minimize the chance of low blood sugar while you sleep.
How To Prevent The Dawn Effect
At this moment, I believe that you know a bit more about how your body works. Now you know why you have low blood sugar at 3:00 am and high blood sugar after waking up.
It is quite clear which action you have to take if you will have a Somogyi or a Dawn effect. But, both effects give high fasting blood sugar levels so how will you know which effect you are experiencing?
Just continue reading further because you are on the right track
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How Can I Prevent Low Blood Glucose
Your best bet is to practice good diabetes management and learn to detect hypoglycemia so you can treat it earlybefore it gets worse.
Monitoring blood glucose, with either a meter or a CGM, is the tried and true method for preventing hypoglycemia. Studies consistently show that the more a person checks blood glucose, the lower his or her risk of hypoglycemia. This is because you can see when blood glucose levels are dropping and can treat it before it gets too low.
If you can, check often!
- Check before and after meals.
- Check before and after exercise .
- Check before bed.
- After intense exercise, also check in the middle of the night.
- Check more if things around you change such as, a new insulin routine, a different work schedule, an increase in physical activity, or travel across time zones.