High blood sugar levels are known to be dangerous for someone with diabetes as it could cause more complications and worse, death. People with a history of diabetes may be noticed that their blood sugar level is usually high in the morning.
According to the article of Cleveland Clinic, the high blood sugar level may be attributed to two effects. The first one is called the Dawn Phenomenon and the other one is the Somogyi Effect.
The Dawn Phenomenon is defined as the end result of a combination of natural body changes. It usually occurs during the sleep cycle. A body of a diabetic person needs to have a little insulin between midnight and about 3 A.M., which is usually the time of sleep. Without the intake of insulin during these times, the probability to have a high blood sugar level in the morning is high.
The time between 3 AM and 8 AM, the body starts churning out stored glucose or sugar to prepare for the upcoming day, as well as it releases hormones that would reduce the body's sensitivity to insulin. This happens as the bedtime insulin dose is wearing off, causing the body to record a high blood sugar level in the dawn.
On the other hand, the Somogyi effect is the second cause of high blood sugar levels in the morning, as it is described as a "man-made" effect. The condition, which is also called as "rebound hyperglycemia" by Diabetes.org, is said to be a result of poor diabetes management.
Experts said that there are two potential causes of the Somogyi effect that results in high blood sugar levels in the morning. The first one is the blood sugar dropping too low in the middle of the night then the body releases hormones in raising the sugar levels. The other cause is when the dose of a long-acting insulin at bedtime is not deemed enough by the body, resulting in high morning blood sugar once the person wakes up.
