Tips To Manage Diabetes At Night: What To Do When Your Blood Sugar Crashes?

What to do when your blood sugar drops at night? Here are 5 simple tips to get your sugar levels back up.

Tips To Manage Diabetes At Night: What To Do When Your Blood Sugar Crashes?

What is nocturnal hypoglycemia? In very simple words, it is when your blood glucose levels take a serious and sudden dip at night. This can happen to both diabetic and non-diabetic people. For diabetic people, this may be more frequent and common whereas for non-diabetics it may be a rare circumstance. Whatever the circumstances are, sudden fall in blood sugar levels or nocturnal hypoglycemia can seriously hamper your health, sleep quality, sleep pattern, lead to fatigue because of lack of sleep, cause nightmares and insomnia. So, what can you do when you blood glucose levels fall?

What To Do When Your Blood Sugar Drops At Night?

Low blood glucose levels at nighttime is a sign of nocturnal hypoglycemia. But it may also happen to people who do not have diabetes but also lack a healthy lifestyle:

1. Keep some healthy snack ready with you. Doctors typically recommend eating something that contains about 15 grams (g) of carbohydrates. This will help raise your blood glucose levels quickly.
2. Do not binge eat because that could be harmful if you have diabetes. Maintain a gap. Wait about 15 minutes before eating any more.
3. Check your blood sugar again.
4. If you do not feel better in 15 minutes and your blood sugar is still lower than 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L), eat another snack with 15 g of carbohydrates.
5. If you do not have diabetes and you are still suffering from low blood sugar problems, chance are that you need more nutrition throughout the day. Fix your diet and ensure enough intake of healthy carbohydrates, natural sugar, fruits and vegetables.

Why Does Blood Glucose Fall At Night?

Here are eight reasons why your blood glucose is taking a dip at night even if you do not suffer from hypoglycemia:

1. If you are eating too less food in the day.
2. If you are skipping meals.
3. If you are not eating enough healthy carbohydrates.
4. If you are working out really late at night.
5. If you have a habit of drinking alcohol at night.
6. If you are taking too much insulin.
7. If you are taking insulin at the wrong time.
8. If you are not very well nourished.