Getting a good night’s sleep can be a challenge for people with type 1 diabetes. From navigating blood sugar highs and lows to equipment alarms and device discomfort, there’s plenty that can interfere with quality rest. Poor sleep isn’t just frustrating — it’s linked to suboptimal blood sugar management. People with type 1 diabetes who have poor sleep quality are more likely to have greater glucose fluctuations and more episodes of high and low blood sugar levels. Adjust Your CGM Alarm Settings People who have a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) can set alarms that alert them when their blood sugar is too high or too low. However, these alarms can be disruptive to sleep. Beware of the ‘Pizza Effect’ Sometimes, meals high in fat can lead to delayed blood sugar spikes, often occurring hours after eating. If you have a rich, starchy meal like pizza for dinner, it could result in blood sugar highs that present after you go to sleep, leaving you unable to respond with exercise or insulin. Pay attention to how different meals affect you. “Monitor glucose trends with what you eat, to understand which foods or combinations of foods affect your blood glucose levels,” If you’re using an insulin pump with automated insulin delivery, your system should take care of these blood sugar elevations automatically. Insulin pumps that aren’t connected to a CGM also allow you to preprogram doses of insulin if you know your blood sugar is likely to rise after bedtime. Keep Hypo Snacks Nearby Like any time that you have low blood sugar, hypoglycemia that happens at night requires prompt treatment, but that can be tricky if what you need is located several rooms away from where you sleep. “The last thing you want to do if your blood sugar is low and your brain is starving for energy is get out of bed and walk downstairs to the kitchen, because that’s not a safe thing to do sometimes,” Instead, it’s helpful to keep something to treat low blood sugar within easy reach. “Keep fast-acting glucose treatments like glucose tabs, hard candy, or juice boxes near your bedside
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