As a person with type 2 diabetes, the following does affect me, but most of the time I have avoided it with adjustments to my insulin. The biggest aid has been splitting my long acting insulin into two doses per the doctors instructions.
The dawn phenomenon is a normal, natural rise in blood sugar
that occurs in the early morning hours, between roughly 4 and 8 a.m. The shift
in blood sugar levels happens as a result of hormonal changes in the body.
All people experience the dawn phenomenon to one level or
another, which can vary day by day. People without diabetes may never notice it
happening, as a normal body's insulin response adjusts for the rise without
intervention.
A person with diabetes is more likely to experience symptoms
from the rise in blood sugar levels, however.
How does it affect people with diabetes?
Dawn phenomenon is a normal rise in blood sugar released by
the liver. The release happens as the person's body is preparing to wake for
the day.
The rise in blood sugar is normally handled with insulin. For
people with diabetes, insulin is not produced in high enough quantities, or the
body is unable to use the insulin properly.
As a result, a person with diabetes will feel the effects of
having high sugar levels in the blood.
These effects can include: faintness, nausea, vomiting, weakness,
disorientation, feeling tired, and extreme thirst.
Managing the dawn phenomenon
Managing blood sugar levels is nothing new to most people
with diabetes. A combination of diet, exercise, and medication often help keep
the symptoms and problems under control.
In the case of dawn phenomenon, there are some additional
changes that may help prevent issues caused by the spike in blood sugar.
Some steps people with diabetes can take to manage the dawn
phenomenon include:
•
changing medication entirely or making
adjustments with a doctor on existing medication
•
avoiding skipping meals or medication doses
•
avoiding carbohydrates around bedtime
•
taking medication closer to bedtime and not at
dinner time
Other steps include eating dinner earlier in the evening.
After dinner, some light physical activity, such as going for a walk, jogging,
or yoga, is encouraged.
It is likely that a person with diabetes will experience high
morning blood sugar levels from time to time. Occasional, mild issues from dawn
phenomenon are not too worrisome. However, if the frequency becomes much more
regular, then it's time to call a doctor.
Complications
If blood sugar levels spike too high as a result of dawn
phenomenon, the effects can range from mild to a life-threatening medical
emergency.
Some complications that a person with diabetes may experience
as a result of dawn phenomenon include:
•
nerve damage
•
damage to blood vessels
•
organ damage
•
ketoacidosis, an extremely dangerous buildup of
acid in the bloodstream
People who experience repeated high blood sugar levels due to
dawn phenomenon should see a doctor to prevent these consequences.
Do options differ between type 1 and type 2 diabetes?
Differences in dealing with dawn phenomenon depends more on
the individual person than what type of diabetes they have or what their
treatment plan is.
A person with type 1 diabetes may adjust the dosage or type
of insulin to account for any changes overnight. In other cases where the person
wears an insulin pump, they may adjust the pump to deliver extra insulin in the
morning.
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