Diabetes is a silent killer and hence, it needs to be monitored well to keep it under control. With too high or too low blood sugar levels, serious health problems may occur. What needs to be mentioned in case of your diabetes treatment is that unlike most other diseases, diabetes requires the patients to take active participation in its monitoring and management.
For that, you need to understand the normal blood sugar level. During different times of the day, the blood sugar levels may differ naturally. The doctor would often ask you to measure your blood sugar level while fasting, i.e. at the morning time and after having breakfast and also at night. Depending on these levels, the diet, the medication and the insulin dose need to be determined. Amongst these, the blood sugar level in the morning is the most important one as it will decide the management plan for the rest of the day.
What Should My Blood Sugar Level be in the Morning?
The average blood sugar level should be –
- On waking up (before breakfast): 80 to 120 mg/dL.
- Before meals: 80 to 120 mg/dL.
- 2 hours after meals: 160 or less mg/dL.
- At bedtime: 100 to 140 mg/dL.
To keep it simple, on an average, it can be said that the normal blood sugar level for most people is less than 100 mg/dL in the morning, irrespective of the age. This is the fasting blood sugar level in which the person has not had any food, but only water in the last 8 hours of sleep at night and the test is done in the morning.
When the blood sugar level is higher than 160 mg/dL after a meal or higher than 120 mg/dL in a fasting condition, it is considered as diabetes.
If you are diagnosed with diabetes, it is a must that you monitor your blood sugar level twice a day and also stick to a proper diet that has low to minimum carbohydrate or sugar content. Along with that, many patients are prescribed insulin dosage, in case the blood sugar present in the body is not being utilized by the body for general functions. The doctor will be able to prescribe a proper medication and diet. However, exercise and morning walk is very effective in maintaining a proper blood sugar level. Monitoring helps you understand how you should manage your blood sugar level.
