Waking early in the morning - nocturnal hypo ?

COS1916 said:

Unfortunately I don’t have an overnight BG monitor so cannot say for sure if it is low Blood sugars

Click to expand...

There are many reasons for insomnia and waking up early, not all diabetes related. Do you have a glucometer, so you can do a finger prick test, as that will tell you.

Are you on insulin or tablets such as Gliclazide which can cause a hypo?

Hi @COS1916 - if you dig deep enough, there are connections all through stress, sleep, and glucose control.

From what you have said, it's far, far more likely that the stress is at the heart of any sleeping problems - all of this is about hormones, and stress triggers lots of different hormones.

The good news is of course that you can take steps to deal with the stress, that can help your sleep, and that can help your blood glucose, they all interconnect, but there is no reason at all for not dealing with them separately.

Bizarrely (or maybe not) one of the most surprising things I've found this whole year is that sitting to meditate for 10 minutes a day has made an enormous difference in my stress levels, and my general outlook. I really just wanted to check the box; too many recommendations to ignore, so I took up a 3 month trial, and now hate missing a day (in fact this is as good a reminder to do it now) - it's become the equivalent of a deck chair on the beach, but just for my mind.. difficult to explain.. but I would totally recommend - or anything else from the list of things that are recommended for stress management. I'm definitely no expert - just found meditation better than expected

COS1916 said:

Any advice on how to avoid it - do I eat something before bedtime to resolve the issue ?

Click to expand...

Well it really depends if a lower sugar level is whats causing you to wake or or if its something else entirely,. if its something else a snack before bedtime may just raise your sugars enough that you need to get up and pee to get rid of that anyway.
Without knowing if its a low sugar level we cant tell what will help

COS1916 said:

I used to use one but will buy another

Click to expand...

I've tagged @Rachox who has a list of blood glucose meters if that would help at all?

The reverse is usually offered more as good sleep hygiene ... the earlier you can stop eating, the better for sleep.
Beyond that - it's actually a pretty mechanical process - we are governed by three separate mechanisms that define sleep-waking, so the absolute most critical thing you can do is be regular - give yourself enough time to have a good night sleep, but whatever that means to you, do it day in, day out, weekends included. No coffee in the afternoon. I won't describe what effect alcohol has on sleep (but none of it's good) - though a couple of glasses, who knows, just don't kid yourself that wine just before bed "winds you down" - earlier the better so that you can have as much of it metabolised before your body tries to power down.

then - screens, light (especially blue) - I used to think, "can that really matter?" - but now I'm going round dimming all the lights all the time in the evening and using warm light wherever possible (blue light really signifies morning, time to wake up, again, we are surprisingly mechanical).

Cool yourself - a single degree core temp drop is what your body is looking for (again with the mechanics) - so oddly, think about leaving the post run shower till the last minute - have your wine first, then shower..

But - I suppose you're not really asking about getting to sleep, it's more about staying asleep. I know that at my most obsessive about this - I could go to bed and actually observe myself falling asleep - you can get really good at this kind of thing, but it takes stupid levels of managing all the details, it's difficult to keep it up - but my experience was that the more I did all these things - the less I would wake in the night - though I still get the odd night when ... boom, it's 5am and I can fight for a couple of hours, or just get up.

anything you can do to learn to switch your brain off, though, helps you to fall asleep whether that's at the start of the night or after being woken up.

Per the above - if it's really concerning, and if none of this helps - and you are convinced that sugar is the key - then I would totally agree - get a CGM and measure it.

HI @COS1916 if you’re interested in getting a new meter, here’s some info with links for UK meters, and to be clear I have no commercial connections with any of the companies mentioned.

HOME HEALTH have the Gluco Navii, which is a fairly new model and seems to be getting good reviews.

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-produ...ose-meter-test-strips-choose-mmol-l-or-mg-dl/

Links to the strips for future orders:

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/glucose-navii-blood-glucose-test-strips-50-strip-pack/

Then they sell the older SD Code Free, details to be found here!

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/codefree-blood-glucose-monitoring-system-mmoll-or-mgdl/




SPIRIT HEALTHCARE have a meter called the Tee2 + which is quite popular:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/co...e2-blood-glucose-meter?variant=19264017268793

The strips are to be found here:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/co...py-of-tee2-test-strips?variant=19264017367097

If there is a choice of units of measurement then ‘mmol/L’ are the standard units in the UK, ‘mg/dl’ in the US, other countries may vary.


Don’t forget to check the box if you have diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)

You might also like to try a Freestyle Libre, they have a free two week trial here:

COS1916 said:

Hi there - I am experiencing early morning awakenings (4 hours after falling asleep) - I have clammy neck and forehead plus I feel totally wide awake - so much so that I cannot get back to sleep easily (takes me at least an hour of tossing and turning)

Unfortunately I don’t have an overnight BG monitor so cannot say for sure if it is low Blood sugars

Question - if it is related to low BG would that cause me to experience early morning awakenings and insomnia - I have read somewhere that adrenaline is released to be the BG up ?

I’m type 2 and run on alternate days to keep the weight off

Many thanks for your help

Click to expand...

unless you are on insulin, or meds that make you produce more insulin, then the chances of a hypo are very unlikely

i get sweaty as hell, cant sleep etc when my BG is high

searley said:

unless you are on insulin, or meds that make you produce more insulin, then the chances of a hypo are very unlikely

i get sweaty as hell, cant sleep etc when my BG is high

Click to expand...

Hi mate, I do believe that there are more conditions that do not conform to that.
including certain aspects of T2 symptoms.
but I find also find it highly unlikely to be episodic hypoglycaemia.

I have come across similar symptoms but not actually hypoglycaemic.or T2.
The opposite of dawn phenomenon?
Go figure?