10 Things That Can Spike Your Blood Sugar

As confident as you may be about your diabetes management, you never know what factors might affect your blood sugar in ways you never expected. Get ahead of pesky highs and lows that result from corrections by understanding a few common things that might be throwing you off.

Here are a number of unexpected triggers that can and will send your blood sugar on a ride:

1 – Heat

Extreme heat (in baths, hot tubs, or sunburns) can cause blood vessels to dilate, which makes insulin absorb more quickly and could lead to low blood sugar.

2 – Losing sleep

Even a single night of little to no sleep can lead to some insulin resistance.

3 – Coffee

As a result of the effects of caffeine, some people will encounter high or low blood sugars post coffee. This is because certain people are more sensitive to caffeine.

4 – Artificial sweeteners

A few studies currently show that they have the capacity to raise blood glucose levels (BGs) though more research is needed.

5 – The “Dawn Phenomenon”

Many people encounter hormone surges early on in the day, whether they have diabetes or not. But for those with type 1 diabetes (T1D), this means blood sugar might spike.

6 – Nasal sprays

Certain sprays have chemicals that make the liver release more sugar into the bloodstream, resulting in higher BGs.

7 – Skipping breakfast

Try not to go without a morning meal, as that can certainly increase BGs after lunch and dinner.

8 – Gum disease

This is a potential cause for higher BGs, as well as a common complication of diabetes.

9 – Time of day

It’s important to note that as the day goes on, it can get harder and harder to control blood sugar.

10 – Dehydration

Drink up! Less water in the body can easily result in high blood sugar, as the amount of sugar in the body becomes more concentrated.

Be on guard about other possible variable that might make your blood sugar spike. When encountering new foods or activities, be vigilant about checking your BG levels before and after to see how your body responds.