• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

The Dawn Phenomenon

C

CallMeAlan

Active Member
Messages
26
Location
Newbury
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
We know that glucose levels tend to be highest first thing in the morning due to the morning dump. Yesterday I dozed off soon after dinner, and during two hour delay between dinner and taking a reading. When I did take a reading my level was just over 10, which is way higher than ever before, and after a day of minimal carbs and no sugar. My normal overall average is 6.9, with an HbA1C recently of 40.

So the question: does the dawn phenomenon also occur after any sleep, not just at night?
 
Dozing off after food used to be something I did with high blood sugar levels.
How "minimally" carb was your meal I'd be looking there for the culprit..
 

Perhaps.

I do note that if I wake during the night for a wee (when, if I remember, I also scan my Libre) there is usually a small ramp just before I wake, then my BG drops back as I (eventually) fall asleep.

I don't have enough data to conclude anything about daytime sleep.
 

Well I have often noticed that my BG seems to rise when, after lying down, I then get up. It seems to be the case that the body is reacting to deal with any energy needs of standing up and walking. I also think this Dawn Phenomenon, whilst not of course only the result of movement, (it often happens whilst still asleep or supine), may still go hand in hand with this change of posture/movement when getting up after lying down...?
 
Are these 10’s on these odd occasions dangerous to us? i.e. long term ? X
 
Obviously it would be better to avoid them if possible. In a recent conversation with my consultant who was trying to advise me how to stop getting regular hypos in my fairly strict control attempts, she said I should not worry about infrequent, short drifts up over 10. I have generally taken her advice on this and I must say my general levels, and stress levels have improved but not reacting so quickly or aiming to get levels down too low, too quickly.

YMMV

Barry
 
Thanks everybody for your thoughts. I am certain that during that day I was well-behaved, carbs-wise. Afyter a busy day with my grandson I dozed off after dinner and must have slept for maybe an hour. On waking I immediately jumped up and took a reading, and it was 10+. That was the highest ever. Normally a couple of hours after dinner I average 6.3 (since May), 6.9 over all readings, in a range of 3.8 to about 9 (just once).

So it's somewhat perplexing to see such a high reading. I'll keep an eye on it, and maybe if I do doze off I'll wait a bit before pricking my finger.
 

What advice did she give about stopping the hypos?
 
docphi said:
What advice did she give about stopping the hypos?
Click to expand...

My targets (continually broken) were 4-7 which most will accept that this is unrealistic, and my attempts continually resulted in self induced hypos. Most often mild and easily correctable. Her advice finally payed off convincing me to relax targets and not obsessing with the the self imposed limits. I now set my target at 5.5-6.5, seldom attempt corrections until over 9.

That's a mixture of her advice and my interpretation. I can't say it's perfect but she did convince me that short term straying above 10 wasn't the end of the world!

YMMV
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…