The Somogyi effect, also known as “rebound hyperglycemia,” is a condition in which blood sugar levels peak in the morning. Dawn phenomena are the consequence of a variety of natural bodily adjustments, and they can induce high blood sugar levels.
What is the cause of high blood sugar levels in the early morning?
High blood sugar in the morning is frequently caused by high-carb bedtime snacks and lacking diabetes medicines.
The dawn phenomenon and the Somogyi effect are two lesser-known reasons for your early morning blood sugar problems. Changes and responses that occur while you are sleeping are the reasons behind these high morning blood sugar levels.
Diabetes is reversal and its just a matter of maintaining your lifestyle.
What exactly is the dawn phenomenon effect?
Your body uses glucose (sugar) for energy and it is important to have enough extra oomph, so that you can be able to wake up in the morning. That’s why during those early morning hours between 3 am – 8 am your liver starts churning out stored glucose which will prepare yourself before heading into work tomorrow!
The thing about all this is that it might happen while some diabetes medication doses are wearing off which were taken a day before; leading us towards higher blood sugar levels at “dawn” time.
What is the Somogyi effect, and how does it work?
Another possible explanation for high blood sugar levels in the morning is the Somogyi effect, sometimes known as rebound hyperglycemia. It was named after a doctor who first described it.
The liver releases stored glucose in the night when the our blood sugars reach dangerous lows and try to “rescue” us with glucagon or insulin injections – but this system isn’t perfect in those of us who have the disease!
Causes of high blood sugar levels in the morning
How are the dawn phenomenon and Somogyi effect determined if they are causing high blood sugar levels?
Your doctor will likely ask you to check your blood sugar levels between 2 a.m. and 3 am for several nights in a row. Somogyi effect is also suspected if you are having nightmares, restless sleep or overnight sweating as all these are symptoms of low blood sugar levels.
If your blood sugar is normal during this time period then dawn phenomenon is suspected.
What is the best way to keep blood sugar levels steady in the morning?
You and your doctor can decide how your blood sugar levels are performing at night once you and he or she have determined what is causing them to fluctuate. The causes of morning high blood sugars may be different for each person.
For dawn phenomenon:
- Eat light breakfast.
- Change your medicine or the timing of your medicine.
- Increase your morning dosage
- If you use insulin, consider switching to an insulin pump and setting it to release more insulin overnight.
For the Somogyi effect:
- Reduce the dosage of diabetes medications that are causing nighttime lows.
- Adding a carbohydrate-rich bedtime treat
- Working out in the evening before bedtime is beneficial.
- If you use insulin, consider switching to an insulin pump and setting it to release less insulin overnight.
