When you are living with type 2 diabetes, you know that controlling your diabetes and keeping your HbA1c in the desired range is your foremost priority.
- You monitor your blood sugar levels daily!
- Watch what you eat!
- Take your prescribed medicines!
- You even set aside the required time for exercise!
Then why does your blood sugar spike? What causes your blood sugar to increase even when you are vigilant and conscientious about your condition?
Here are certain triggers that might cause your blood sugar to spike. Know your triggers and try to eliminate them as far as possible to avoid a rise in your blood sugar.
Note: Monitor Regularly to keep a check on yourself if you know what’s causing the spike.
What’s Increasing Your Blood Sugar Level
Less Sleep
A good night’s sleep is essential for your well-being and even just one night of too little sleep can make your body use insulin less effectively. Aim for seven to nine hours per night if you are an adult and seven to eight hours for adults with diabetes who are 65 and older. Sleep deprivation triggers the release of the stress hormone cortisol and reduces the amount of insulin released when you eat as well.
Skipping Breakfast
For people with diabetes, skipping breakfast can increase blood sugar for the whole day. But this doesn’t mean you grab anything on the go. A low-carb diabetes-friendly breakfast such as scrambled eggs, spinach and tomatoes will go a long way in keeping your blood sugar in check.
Dehydration
Drinking less water means your blood sugar is more concentrated. If you keep yourself hydrated, excess sugar will get expelled through urine and its level won’t rise. Drinking water is the best option to keep your sugar from rising.
Saturated Fats
Carbohydrates aren’t the only food group to watch for people with diabetes. Diets high in fats and saturated fats are also known to increase insulin resistance.
It is recommended that about 20 to 35 percent of your daily calories should come from fat. However, saturated fat from foods such as cheese, red meat, fried foods, and baked goods should make up less than 10 percent of your daily caloric intake, so that your blood sugar doesn’t spike.
It’s best to avoid fad diets that promote one food group over the other to ensure you get a balanced diet good for your condition.
Stress
Unfortunately, stress can come in many forms, like — a work deadline, a family crisis, or even a physical injury, and is unavoidable for most of us at some point or the other. Stress releases the cortisol hormone that reduces our body’s sensitivity to insulin. This causes blood sugar to rise. A daily routine of exercise or meditation that can help you clear your head would help manage your stress levels and your blood sugar.
Diabetes is an overwhelming condition for anyone. Hence, the need to accept the condition and make it part of the journey might look complicated, but it is necessary. It is always important to talk to your diabetes educator to make sure you are making the right choices.
