Many people with diabetes deal with high blood sugar levels in the morning, a condition commonly known as the dawn phenomenon (although other factors like the Somogyi effect can also cause morning highs).
This occurs due to a natural hormonal change that coincides with waking up. Unfortunately, for those with diabetes, this phenomenon often results in stubbornly high blood sugar levels.
We sat down with Anna Faith Adair from northern Georgia, who has been managing her type 1 diabetes since 2016, to learn more about her experiences with morning highs and the strategies she employs to lessen them.
What factors do you find contribute most to your high morning blood sugar levels?
Everyone experiences high morning blood sugar for different reasons. For Adair, it comes down to a variety of things.
She says,
How do you manage your insulin regimen to deal with fluctuations in morning blood sugar?
Like many people who are just diagnosed, Adair started with multiple daily injections to manage her type 1 diabetes. She reflects,
Automatic insulin delivery (AID) systems combine an insulin pump with a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) to adjust insulin delivery automatically based on real-time glucose readings. These systems are particularly effective for managing persistent high blood sugar levels, such as those caused by the dawn phenomenon.
Adair describes the impact of switching to an AID system:
Learn more about the role of insulin in: Managing Dawn Phenomenon With Basal Insulin.
Are there specific dietary choices or bedtime routines you follow to stabilize your levels?
Adair is cautious about her meal timing and composition to prevent overnight blood sugar spikes.
She explains,
Get more strategies in: How to Avoid High Morning Blood Sugar.
What challenges have you faced with morning blood sugar control, and how have you addressed them?
Managing morning blood sugar levels is a significant challenge in diabetes, often complicating the start of the day. Adair shares,
Additionally, Adair deals with multiple chronic illnesses that can exacerbate her condition.
Have you found any particular strategies or technologies especially effective in managing these levels?
Since 2021, Adair has successfully integrated insulin pump and CGM technologies to help manage stubborn high blood sugar levels
She highlights the benefits of connectivity:
Adair also discusses her experiences with different devices.
Do high morning blood sugar levels affect your mood, energy, and daily activities?
For Adair, the impact of high morning blood sugar levels on her daily functioning is profound.
She describes the experience, saying,
What adjustments have you had to make in your daily life to accommodate these levels?
Adair has made several key changes to manage her blood sugar effectively.
she explains.
Dietary modifications have also played a crucial role. Adair notes,
She stresses the importance of adaptability in managing diabetes.
Over time, what have you learned about your body’s response to insulin and food intake?
Managing diabetes is a constant learning process.
Adair shares,
As Adair transitioned into adulthood, her approach to managing diabetes matured.
How have your management strategies evolved as you have learned more about your diabetes?
Getting access to cutting-edge technology is often out of your control, a reality Adair knows well.
Get another perspective on managing the dawn phenomenon in: My Experiments with Managing Dawn Phenomenon.
What advice would you give to someone else dealing with high morning blood sugar levels?
Adair is a strong advocate for embracing technology in diabetes management.
For Adair, tapping into community support has been key. “
she suggests.
What do you wish more people understood about the variability of blood sugar levels in type 1 diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is not merely a physical condition. It profoundly affects every facet of life, including mental health. Adair emphasizes this broader impact, saying,
Do you want to address common misconceptions about managing morning highs?
Adair addresses a common misconception about the difficulty of managing morning high blood sugar levels.
she explains.
Learn more about the dawn phenomenon in The Dawn Phenomenon: What It Is and How to Manage It and Dawn Phenomenon or Somogyi Effect – Why is Your Morning Blood Sugar High? Did you find this article helpful? Click Yes or No below to let us know!
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