Measuring blood sugar at the right time is an important factor that helps diabetics and high-risk people monitor their health more accurately.
Regularly recording fasting and post-meal blood sugar levels not only helps control the disease effectively but also clearly reflects the body's ability to regulate blood sugar, according to The Indian Express (India).
Fasting blood sugar is one of the most important indicators of metabolic health, says Vijay Negalur, Head of the Department of Diabetes at KIMS Hospital, India. It shows how well the body controls glucose levels without the influence of food.
Blood sugar index also helps doctors diagnose prediabetes, diabetes and evaluate the effectiveness of treatment regimens or diet and lifestyle.
If your fasting blood sugar is consistently high, it is usually because your liver is releasing too much glucose during the night or your body is not responding well to insulin. This is a warning sign that your blood sugar regulation system is having problems and needs to be corrected soon.
The ideal time to measure blood sugar is right after waking up, before eating or drinking anything other than water. Photo: AI
Measuring blood sugar right after waking up gives the most accurate results.
According to Negalur, the ideal time to measure blood sugar is right after waking up, before eating or drinking anything other than water. The purpose of this measurement is to record the baseline blood glucose level after 8 to 10 hours of overnight fasting, when there is no influence from food or drink.
The doctor emphasized that if measured 1-2 hours after breakfast, that index will reflect postprandial blood sugar.
Both measurements are important, but they have different meanings. Fasting blood sugar reflects the body's ability to maintain glucose in the blood while resting, while postprandial blood sugar shows how the body processes carbohydrates after a meal.
By monitoring both indicators in parallel, patients and doctors can more accurately assess overall blood sugar control.
Natural morning hyperglycemia phenomenon
Some people notice that their blood sugar levels are higher than usual in the morning, even if they haven’t eaten anything. According to Dr. Negalur, this may be due to the body releasing certain hormones, such as cortisol and glucagon, in the early morning to prepare for the day. These hormones can cause a slight increase in blood sugar levels. This is not always a sign of poor blood sugar control, but if it occurs frequently, the patient should talk to their doctor.
Notes before measuring blood sugar
To get accurate results, the person measuring blood sugar needs to make sure they have fasted for at least 8 hours before testing.
Delaying too long after waking up or consuming tea, coffee, or fruit juice before measuring can distort the results.
Dr. Negalur recommends measuring blood sugar at the same time every morning so that results are stable and comparable over time.
Regular monitoring habits help control the disease better
For people with diabetes, measuring and recording daily blood sugar levels helps doctors accurately assess the impact of medication, diet and lifestyle on health.
This is also a way for patients to proactively adjust their diet appropriately, avoiding sudden increases or decreases in blood sugar.
A single measurement cannot reflect the entire body condition, but maintaining regular daily checks will show the trend of blood sugar fluctuations. When the indicators are stable within the recommended limits, the risk of cardiovascular, renal and neurological complications is significantly reduced.