What should your blood sugar be when you wake up? Whenever possible, aim to keep your glucose levels in range between 70 and 130 mg/dL in the morning before you eat breakfast, and between 70 and 180 mg/dL at other times.
What should my blood sugar level be when I wake up? These are goal levels, according to The Joslin Diabetes Center: Under 100 mg/dl if you do not have diabetes. 70 to 130 mg/dl if you have diabetes.
Normal blood sugar levels when you wake up
According to the American Diabetes Association, your blood sugar when you wake should be below 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L) if you don't have diabetes.
Target blood sugar levels differ for everyone, but generally speaking: if you monitor yourself at home – a normal target is 4-7mmol/l before eating and under 8.5-9mmol/l two hours after a meal.
For most people without diabetes, normal blood sugar levels are: between 4 and to 6 mmol/L before meals. less than 8 mmol/L two hours after eating.
Before meals, the suggested target blood glucose range is 4.0 to 8.0 mmol/L. At 2 hours after meals, the range is 5.0 to 10.0 mmol/L.
In most cases, doctors ask people to measure fasting blood sugar immediately upon waking and before they have anything to eat or drink. It may also be appropriate to test blood sugar before eating or 2 hours after a meal, which is when blood sugar returns to normal levels.
The dawn phenomenon
In the early hours of the morning, hormones, including cortisol and growth hormone, signal the liver to boost the production of glucose, which provides energy that helps you wake up. This triggers beta cells in the pancreas to release insulin in order to keep blood glucose levels in check.
People with diabetes should eat dinner between 8 and 9 pm. Eating close to bedtime or late at night must be avoided.
Squeezing your finger
When you do that, you are getting some interstitial fluid rather than blood. A study shows that this “may lead to unreliable readings." Gently warming the hands ahead of time can help so you don't have squeeze so hard.
That early morning jump in your blood sugar? It's called the dawn phenomenon or the dawn effect. It usually happens between 2 and 8 a.m.
A skipped meal alters the balance between food intake and insulin production, and can cause your blood sugar levels to eventually drop. “For diabetic people dependent on insulin or blood sugar–lowering medication, skipping meals can be more dangerous because it can lead to low blood sugar,” says Pearson.
Fasting blood sugar test
In general: Less than 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L ) is normal. 100 to 125 mg/dL (5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L ) is diagnosed as prediabetes. 126 mg/dL (7.0 mmol/L ) or higher on two separate tests is diagnosed as diabetes.
Here are the normal blood sugar ranges for a person without diabetes according to the American Diabetes Association: Fasting blood sugar (in the morning, before eating): Less than 100 mg/dL. 1-2 hours after a meal: Less than 140 mg/dL. 2-3 hours after eating: Less than 100 mg/dL.
An A1C below 5.7% is normal, between 5.7 and 6.4% indicates you have prediabetes, and 6.5% or higher indicates you have diabetes.
Fasting blood sugar test.
Less than 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L ) is considered healthy. 100 to 125 mg/dL (5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L ) is diagnosed as prediabetes. 126 mg/dL (7 mmol/L ) or higher on two separate tests is diagnosed as diabetes.
High blood sugar (hyperglycemia ) is common in people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, but it can also occur in people without these diseases as a result of a major illness, a chronic medical condition, a hormonal disorder, or certain medications. In that case, it is often called nondiabetic hyperglycemia.
Most people with type 2 diabetes only need to check their blood sugar once or twice a day. If your blood sugar level is under control, you may only need to check it a few times a week. You may test yourself when you wake up, before meals, and at bedtime.
When is blood sugar lowest? Blood sugar levels lower than 100 mg/dL 8 hours after a meal and 140 mg/dL 2 hours after a meal are normal. During the day, the lowest blood sugar levels usually occur right before a meal. For most people without diabetes, pre-meal blood sugar ranges between 70 and 80 mg/dL.
Skipping breakfast—going without that morning meal can increase blood sugar after both lunch and dinner. Time of day—blood sugar can be harder to control the later it gets.
Mild high blood sugar
If your blood sugar levels are consistently higher than your target range (usually 11 mmol/L to 20 mmol/L, and 11 mmol/L to 14 mmol/L in children), you may have mild symptoms of high blood sugar. You may urinate more than usual if you are drinking plenty of liquids.
A blood sugar level less than 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L) is normal. A reading of more than 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) after two hours means you have diabetes. A reading between 140 and 199 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L and 11.0 mmol/L) means you have prediabetes.
For the average senior, normal blood sugar levels are considered to be less than 100 mg/dL after not eating for around eight hours. After eating, they should be less than 140 mg/dL. However, keep in mind that a physician is the best person to state when your aging loved one's glucose levels are off.