When Should You Check Your Level?

When should you check your blood

sugar?

Everyone with diabetes

is different.

Talk to your doctor.

She'll come up with a plan just

for you.

But there are some times she

might tell you to test

your sugar, which is also called

glucose.

Your body releases sugar

throughout the night.

But in the hours before dawn,

other hormones in the body

can cause an increase in blood

sugar, so you may need to see

if your level is high when you

wake up.

Also, if you use insulin,

a morning test can help you

figure out how much to take.

Checking before meals

can give you an idea how

balanced your sugars are

during the day.

That, in turn, could help you

match the right amount

of insulin, exercise, or help

with meal planning.

Testing 2 hours after you eat

can show you what effect

your food and your insulin

had on your blood sugar.

Making sure your glucose is

stable before you work out

can help you avoid

dangerous highs or dips.

And checking your level

before bed could be a good idea

in case your sugars fluctuate

at night.

There are times you may need

to check your glucose more

often.

If you're actively losing

weight, it could boost

the effects

of any sugar-lowering meds

you're on.

If you get sick, your glucose

could go up as your body fights

the illness.

Or it could go down if you

aren't eating, you're vomiting,

or you have diarrhea.

Also, if you've changed diabetes

meds, testing your sugar more

often can help you find out

if they're working well.