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Managing your blood sugar
Hyperglycemia - control; Hypoglycemia - control; Diabetes - blood sugar control; Blood glucose - managing
Take Control of Your Diabetes
Know the basic steps for managing your diabetes to stay healthy. Poorly managed diabetes can lead to many health problems.
Know how to:
- Recognize and treat low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
- Recognize and treat high blood sugar (hyperglycemia)
- Plan diabetes meals
- Monitor your blood sugar (glucose)
- Take care of yourself when you are sick
- Find, buy, and store diabetes supplies
- Get the checkups you need
If you take insulin, you should also know how to:
- Give yourself insulin
- Adjust your insulin doses and the foods you eat to manage your blood sugar during exercise and on sick days
You should also live a healthy lifestyle.
- Exercise at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Do muscle strengthening exercises 2 or more days a week.
- Try speed walking, swimming, or dancing. Pick an activity you enjoy. Always check with your doctor before starting any new exercise plans.
- Follow your meal plan.
Take your medicines the way your health care provider recommends.
Check Your Blood Sugar Often
Checking your blood sugar levels often and writing down the results will tell you how well you are managing your diabetes. Talk to your doctor and diabetes educator about how often you should check your blood sugar.
- Not everyone with diabetes needs to check their blood sugar every day. But some people may need to check it many times a day.
- If you have type 1 diabetes, check your blood sugar at least 4 times a day.
Usually, you will test your blood sugar before meals and at bedtime. You may also check your blood sugar:
- After you eat out, especially if you have eaten foods you DO NOT normally eat
- If you feel sick
- Before and after you exercise
- If you have a lot of stress
- If you eat too much
- If you are taking new medicines
Keep a record for yourself and your provider. This will be a big help if you are having problems managing your diabetes. It will also tell you what works and what doesn't work, to keep your blood sugar under control. Write down:
- The time of day
- Your blood sugar level
- The amount of carbohydrates or sugar you ate
- The type and dose of your diabetes medicines or insulin
- The type of exercise you do and for how long
- Any unusual events, such as feeling stressed, eating different foods, or being sick
Many glucose meters let you store this information.
You and your health care provider should set a target goal for your blood sugar levels for different times during the day. If your blood sugar is higher than your goals for 3 days and you DO NOT know why, call your doctor or nurse.
Recommended Blood Sugar Targets
For people with type 1 diabetes, the American Diabetes Association recommends that blood sugar targets be based on a person's needs and goals. Talk to your doctor and diabetes educator about these goals. A general guideline is:
Before meals, your blood sugar should be:
- From 90 to 130 mg/dl (5 to 7.3 mmol/L) for adults
- From 90 to 130 mg/dl (5 to 7.3 mmol/L) for children, 13 to 19 years old
- From 90 to 180 mg/dl (5 to 10 mmol/L) for children, 6 to 12 years old
- From 100 to 180 mg/dl (5.5 to 10 mmol/L) for children under 6 years old
After meals (1 to 2 hours after eating), your blood sugar should be:
- Less than 180 mg/dl (10 mmol/L) for adults
At bedtime, your blood sugar should be:
- From 90 to 150 mg/dl (5 to 8.3 mmol/L) for adults
- From 90 to 150 mg/dl (5 to 8.3 mmol/L) for children, 13 to 19 years old
- From 100 to 180 mg/dl (5.5 to 10 mmol/L) for children, 6 to 12 years old
- From 110 to 200 mg/dl (6.1 to 11.1 mmol/L) for children under 6 years old
For people with type 2 diabetes, the American Diabetes Association also recommends that blood sugar targets be individualized. Talk to your doctor and diabetes educator about your goals.
In general, before meals, your blood sugar should be:
- From 70 to 130 mg/dl (3.9 to 7.3 mmol/L) for adults
After meals (1 to 2 hours after eating), your blood sugar should be:
- Less than 180 mg/dl (10 mmol/L) for adults
What to do When Your Blood Sugar is High or low
High blood sugar can harm you. If your blood sugar is high, you need to know how to bring it down. Here are some questions to ask yourself if your blood sugar is high.
- Are you eating too much or too little? Have you been following your diabetes meal plan?
- Are you taking your diabetes medicines correctly?
- Has your doctor changed your medicines?
- If you take insulin, have you been taking the correct dose?
- Are you afraid of having low blood sugar? Is that causing you to eat too much or take too little insulin or other diabetes medicine?
- Have you injected insulin into a scar or overused area? Have you been rotating sites?
- Have you been less or more active than usual?
- Do you have a cold, the flu, or another illness?
- Have you had some stress?
- Have you been checking your blood sugar every day?
- Have you gained or lost weight?
When to Call the Doctor
Call your provider if your blood sugar is too high or too low and you do not understand why. When your blood sugar is in your target range, you will feel better and your health will be better.
References
Crandall J, Shamoon H. Diabetes mellitus. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman's Cecil Medicine . 25th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 229.
Dungan KM. Management of type 2 diabetes mellitus. In: Jameson JL, De Groot LJ, de Kretser DM, et al, eds. Endocrinology: Adult and Pediatric . 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 48.
Standards of medical care in diabetes - 2016: summary of revisions. Diabetes Care . 2016;39:S4-S5. PMID: 26696680 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26696680 .
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Diabetes
Animation
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Manage your blood sugar - illustration
Checking your blood sugar levels often and writing down the results will tell you how well you are managing your diabetes so you can stay as healthy as possible. The best times to check your blood sugar are before meals and at bedtime. Your blood sugar meter may have computer software to help you track your blood sugar level. This is usually available from the manufacturer's website.
Manage your blood sugar
illustration
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Blood test - illustration
To monitor the amount of glucose within the blood a person with diabetes should test their blood regularly. The procedure is quite simple and can often be done at home.
Blood test
illustration
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Glucose test - illustration
A person with diabetes constantly manages their blood's sugar (glucose) levels. After a blood sample is taken and tested, it is determined whether the glucose levels are low or high. Following your health care provider's instructions, if glucose levels are too low, carbohydrates can be ingested. If glucose in the blood is too high, the appropriate amount of insulin can be administered into the body such as through an insulin pump.
Glucose test
illustration
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Manage your blood sugar - illustration
Checking your blood sugar levels often and writing down the results will tell you how well you are managing your diabetes so you can stay as healthy as possible. The best times to check your blood sugar are before meals and at bedtime. Your blood sugar meter may have computer software to help you track your blood sugar level. This is usually available from the manufacturer's website.
Manage your blood sugar
illustration
-
Blood test - illustration
To monitor the amount of glucose within the blood a person with diabetes should test their blood regularly. The procedure is quite simple and can often be done at home.
Blood test
illustration
-
Glucose test - illustration
A person with diabetes constantly manages their blood's sugar (glucose) levels. After a blood sample is taken and tested, it is determined whether the glucose levels are low or high. Following your health care provider's instructions, if glucose levels are too low, carbohydrates can be ingested. If glucose in the blood is too high, the appropriate amount of insulin can be administered into the body such as through an insulin pump.
Glucose test
illustration
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Diabetes
(Alt. Medicine)
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Diabetes - type 2
(In-Depth)
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Diabetes - type 1
(In-Depth)
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Hypoglycemia
(Alt. Medicine)
- Managing your blood sugar
- Type 2 diabetes - self-care
- Home blood sugar testing
- Gestational diabetes - self-care
- Long-term complications of diabetes
- Managing your weight with healthy eating
- Managing your weight gain during pregnancy
- Diabetes and exercise
- Living with heart disease and angina
- Peripheral artery disease of the legs - self-care
Review Date: 5/17/2016
Reviewed By: Laura J. Martin, MD, MPH, ABIM Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Atlanta, GA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
