10 Surprising Things That Can Spike Your Blood Sugar
If you have managed your diabetes for a while, you have seen how food, activity, stress, and illness can affect your blood sugar levels. But there are things that trigger blood sugar spikes that you may find surprising.
- Sunburn — The pain causes stress, and stress increases blood sugar levels
- Artificial sweeteners — Some studies show they can raise blood sugar
- Coffee — Some people’s blood sugar is extra-sensitive to caffeine
- Losing sleep — Just one night of too little sleep can make your body use insulin less efficiently
- Skipping breakfast — Going without that morning meal can increase blood sugar after both lunch and dinner
- Time of day — Blood sugar can be harder to control the later it gets
- Dawn phenomenon — Hormones tend to surge early in the morning, and for people with diabetes blood sugar can spike
- Dehydration — Less water in your body means that your blood sugar is more concentrated
- Nose spray — Some contain chemicals that trigger your liver to make more blood sugar
- Gum disease — It’s a blood sugar spiker and a complication of diabetes
Individual responses to each of these triggers may vary. If an activity or food is new, check your blood sugar before and after to see how you respond.
Get personalized help with diabetes management
Our Blue KC Care Team is here to support your diabetes journey with personalized answers to your biggest questions through the app’s chat tool. The app also includes tools to track your blood glucose levels, educational content, and other useful tools.
Connect with the Care Team on the Blue KC Care Management app.
- Download it on Apple Store or Google Play
- Register with access code KCBLUEWELCOME
- Click Chat at the bottom of the screen to connect with the Care Team
Source: CDC
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