Does Your Blood Sugar Spike After Waking Up? Here’s Why

If your blood glucose spikes when you get out of bed, you’re not alone. But you’re probably frustrated and confused! What could be causing the spikes if you haven’t eaten anything?

An increase in blood sugar levels when you get out of bed is called the “feet to floor” phenomenon.

Technology such as continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) makes diabetes easier to take care of. Continue reading to learn more about the benefits of CGMs, how to manage “feet to floor” and how to decrease cortisol levels over time.

What is “feet to floor”?

Researchers and medical professionals are still learning about “feet to floor,” even though it’s very common in the diabetes community.

“Feet to floor” happens when you get up in the morning and start moving around. Your liver releases hormones like glucagon, cortisol and adrenaline so you have enough energy to start your day.

These hormones do increase energy, but they also raise blood glucose.

How it differs from the dawn phenomenon

“Feet to floor” is different from the dawn phenomenon. The dawn phenomenon happens in the early morning hours, before you wake up. Your body increases the amount of growth hormone, epinephrine and other hormones while you sleep as it gets ready for the day.

Since these hormones raise blood sugar, you might notice a spike in the middle of the night or early morning hours.

How a continuous glucose monitor can help

Using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) has many benefits. Besides making it easier to figure out glucose level patterns related to “feet to floor,” they:

• Track glucose level patterns throughout the day.
• Show you if spikes happen before or after waking up.
• Help you understand how different habits affect glucose levels, like laying in bed after waking up vs getting up immediately.
• Let you set personalized alerts for high and low glucose levels so you can treat them faster.

You can share CGM data with your healthcare practitioner (HCP). They can help you make changes to your diabetes treatment plan.

Tips for managing “feet to floor” glucose spikes

There are many ways to manage high blood sugar caused by “feet to floor.” You will probably need to try different strategies to see what works best for you. Consider these ideas:

Decrease stress in the morning.

• To avoid rushing around the minute you get out of bed, set your alarm for a few minutes earlier, make your lunch the night before and eat breakfast that can be made quickly. Greek yogurt and fruit or toast and peanut butter are faster to put together than making eggs!
• Avoid drinking caffeine on an empty stomach.

Don’t fight insulin resistance.

• Your body doesn’t use insulin as effectively in the morning. Instead of getting frustrated, help your body out by drinking water when you wake up and taking part in low-stress exercise (such as going for a walk).

Work with your healthcare provider (HCP) to develop a plan.

• Since your glucose level increases when you get out of bed, raising your basal rate isn’t the answer (as you likely get up at different times on weekends and during the week). Instead, you might need to give a small bolus as soon as you get up.

Long-term strategies to lower cortisol and improve resilience

Our bodies need cortisol to manage the stress response, regulate metabolism and help your immune system work properly. But if cortisol levels are too high over a long period of time, it can lead to problems like high blood pressure and osteoporosis.

There are different strategies you can use to lower your cortisol levels:

• Practice stress management through mindfulness or relaxation techniques. A meta-analysis found that both mindfulness and relaxation (breathing exercises) led to significantly decreased cortisol levels.
• Enjoy yourself and laugh. Laughing promotes the release of endorphins and suppresses cortisol. Participating in fun activities can also promote feelings of well-being.
• Exercise regularly. The standard recommendation is 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week, which helps decrease stress and increase endorphins.
• Get quality sleep. Chronic sleep issues, like insomnia or working a night shift, can cause higher cortisol levels.

Remember this

If you experience “feet to floor,” don’t get discouraged. Use tools like a CGM to find out what’s causing the glucose level spikes, talk to your HCP about blood glucose management and practice strategies to decrease cortisol levels for better blood sugar all day long.

This content was made possible by Abbott Diabetes Care, an active partner of Beyond Type 1. Beyond Type 1 maintains editorial control over its content.