Hypoglycemia/ low blood glucose at night

[Mustardfan]

I haven’t got diabetes. I’m currently using a monitor to monitor my blood glucose levels. What I’ve found is that at night my glucose level falls very low, the monitor doesn’t seem to record anything below 3, but the monitor shows it at 3 or 3.something for, on average, 3 hours a night. I wonder if anyone has any experience of this, or any advice? I’ll discuss it with my GP when I can get an appointment. I’d like to know more about it before I see the GP. Is this level a cause for concern? It seems to happen every night. I tried eating before going to bed and all it did was delay the onset of the low level. I feel spaced out when I wake up. During the day the level is always in the normal range.

Why are you monitoring your BG levels?

My son has ketotic hypoglycaemia, I'm not sure how common it is in adults but basically he doesn't have enough stores to go through any period of fasting inc night time. It's meant to improve as he's older. He doesn't have diabetes it's very different. I have to feed him complex carbs and cornstarch to maintain sugars during the night so perhaps try that? Have you ever done sugar readings during illness? Or after intense exercise? What are they like then? My son gets dangerously low during illness but day to day it doesn't normally go below 3 I'm used to it now but it is a worry at first. Hopefully you can get in to the gp

T1 diabetic here with experience of nighttime hypos (readings below 4)

First of all, there is a medical school of thought that although readings of 4-7 are typical in non diabetics, the average readings do in fact include a lot of readings in the 3s, it's just that no one measures them.

What are you eating before bed? I'd suggest upping the protein considerably (the tubs of protein yoghurt are good). I'd also experiment with a really slow release carb - the only one I've found to be properly slow release is old fashioned porridge oats ie not an instant porridge - this gives me a very flat blood sugar profile.

And take some biscuits or something to bed with you so you can eat if it wakes you in the night- I've found the Nairn's oat ones the best as they are low sugar and more sustaining.

Hope you get this sorted

Thanks for your replies. That’s useful advice about different things that I could try eating. Also useful to know that it might be considered normal. I’m trying to find an explanation for why I feel crap and lightheaded at times.

Try going sugar free to stabilise your insulin and glucose levels, plus eat carbs, ideally oats (perhaps oatybix?) at bedtime

Blood glucose levels in the 3's are perfectly normal in someone who doesn't have diabetes.
Prof Stephanie Amiel who coined "4 is the floor" as a definition of hypoglycaemia has said many times she regrets ever saying it.
Why are you monitoring your glucose levels OP? I assume it's interstitial glucose rather than blood glucose?

If you’re using a Libre, that can give false lows if you put pressure on it eg lie on it in the night. Bear in mind too, that the Libre is most accurate mid-range and not so accurate for lows and highs.

Thanks. That’s useful to know that glucose levels of 3 may be normal, though whether normal equals satisfactory is, perhaps, another question.

I’ve also read that the Libre could give false readings if you lie on it, infact I sometimes get a missing reading for an hour or so at the start of my sleep period which I wondered is when I might lie on it, I lie for most of the night on the other side, I don’t turn in my sleep.

I went sugar free for a few months prior to this trial.