People tend to have slightly higher blood sugar levels in the morning. However, in some people with diabetes, these levels may be significantly higher. In general terms, a normal A1C in people without diabetes is 5.6% or less. A level of 5.7 to 6.4% is within the prediabetes range (and the higher this range, the higher the risk of developing type 2 diabetes), and a level of 6.5% or higher indicates diabetes.
People with type 1 diabetes need to inject themselves with insulin or use it through a pump to control blood sugar levels. If you produce enough insulin and your cells respond to it, the sunrise phenomenon probably isn't the culprit for your high blood sugar levels in the morning. Insulin allows sugar to leave the blood and enter the body's cells, converting it into useful energy. The term “morning blood sugar” describes your blood sugar level after you wake up, but before you eat anything.
As such, this can cause your blood sugar levels to rise and may require treatment to adjust your levels. Blood glucose levels that are outside the ranges mentioned above are classified as high or low blood sugar levels. Taking too much insulin suppresses your blood sugar levels too much while you sleep, causing your liver to release glucose. This high blood sugar level, known as hyperglycemia, causes the body to release more insulin, which will normally keep blood glucose levels in the bloodstream within a normal range in people without diabetes.
ZOE is carrying out the world's largest scientific study on the world's nutrition and blood sugar responses, with more than 15,000 participants so far. Getting professional medical advice from a healthcare provider, such as an endocrinologist, is the best way to learn more about whether your blood sugar levels are where they should be. The results don't necessarily confirm that eating later increases your blood sugar level when you wake up, but they do suggest that having a late dinner could make it difficult to control your levels. Blood glucose levels are the amount of glucose, or sugar, that a person has in their blood at any given time.
Checking your blood sugar level in the morning involves trial and error, so it's helpful to have a clear idea of the body's blood sugar level and the responses to different foods. The pancreas has to work harder to produce more insulin and ultimately can't keep up and blood sugar rises. Anyone who experiences high blood sugar levels in the morning should talk to a healthcare provider, who will identify an effective way to control these levels.
