As we all know it is very normal for people to wake up once or often at night to drink water or to go to the washroom. This is a normal human being phenomenon, and nothing is wrong with that. So after we are done at night with everything, we get on our bed then go under our blanket and within minutes we fall back asleep. Became we also need to complete our 8 hours of sound sleep. But for those who are suffering from diabetes, things are a little different.
Most patients suffering from diabetes, tend to wake up almost every night at the same time. Let’s say at exactly around 3 pm, they don’t do this by choice and not by some noise or anything else. But mostly because their body gets a sudden rise in the blood sugar level. All this can happen due to two reasons – the Somogyi effect or the dawn phenomenon.
The dawn phenomenon
As we all know that our body uses glucose to produce energy which is produced by our body and also to wake up in the morning we need to have some extra energy. So, because of that reason, the body starts using stored glucose to prepare for the upcoming day. At the same time, the liver tends to release some of the extra glucose in the bloodstream. All this happens due to the growth hormone, cortisol, and catecholamines.
Generally, this happens in the morning from around 2 am to 3 am, because it is prepares the body to wake up for the day and go on about the day with full energy. As these things are happening in the body the medicines that we have taken for diabetes doses as it takes a day before starting to wear off. All of these phenomena that are happening together are the reason that leads to a rise in the blood sugar level in the morning.
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The Somogyi effect
The other reason that causes the rise of high blood sugar in the morning is the Somogyi effect which is also known as rebound hyperglycemia. This effect takes place when our blood sugar level drops very low right in the middle of the night. So to recuse us from an extremely low sugar level, the body tends to release hormones, that hormones then force the liver to release the stored glucose. All this happens just to stabilize the amount of glucose present in the body. In the case of diabetes, the liver releases some extra glucose. That leads to a high blood sugar level in the morning.
After you all are very sure of the reason that helps in the spiking of the blood sugar level, you need to take steady measures to control them.
For dawn phenomenon:
- To change the type or the timing of the diabetes medications.
- Eat a very light breakfast every morning.
- Increasing the medication taken in the morning.
For Somogyi effect:
- Lowering the dose of diabetes medications at night
- A carb-loaded snack is a must and must be deed at bedtime.
- Changing the schedule of the exercise.
