Step 2: Achieving the optimal morning glucose level.

Starting the day with normal blood sugar levels helps maintain control and prevent hypoglycemia. Regulating morning glucose is crucial for optimal health.

What are the reasons for elevated blood sugar levels in the morning?

1. A person experiencing high glucose levels before bedtime (around 10pm) and waking up with similar elevated levels.  In such situations, it is worth assessing the effectiveness of the quick-acting insulin dosage taken during the previous evening's dinner.
2. When glucose levels are stable at bedtime, but tend to increase gradually throughout the night. This could be due to insufficient dosage of the background insulin. For individuals who take their background insulin in the morning, the increase in glucose levels could result from it wearing off during the night. This is a common occurrence in about 25% of people who take their background insulin once a day.
3. Have you heard of the 'Dawn Phenomenon'? It refers to the increase in blood glucose levels that occurs between 3am and waking up. This happens due to the rise in hormones like cortisol and growth hormone in the early morning, which make the body less responsive to insulin.

Solutions

• Before going to bed, it's crucial to ensure that the glucose readings are generally within acceptable levels.
• If it seems like there's not enough background insulin, the solution is to either increase the dosage or divide it into two separate doses.
• Managing the Dawn Phenomenon can be challenging. In some cases, using an insulin pump is the most effective solution. 

Next Step: Step 3: Managing the background insulin