What are the complications of the Somogyi effect?
Regardless of whether the Somogyi effect is actually a cause of high morning blood sugar, it highlights two complications that people with diabetes should try to prevent:
- Consistently high blood sugar.
- Overnight low blood sugar episodes.
Consistently high blood sugar
Consistently high blood sugar leads to an increase in A1C levels and your Time in Range (TIR). An A1C test measures the average amount of glucose (sugar) in your blood over the past three months. Your TIR is the average percent of time per day that your glucose level is in the target range.
The higher your A1C and TIR levels, the more risk you have for developing complications, especially if they’re consistently high over several years. Diabetes complications include:
Studies show that people with diabetes may be able to reduce the risk of diabetes complications by consistently keeping their A1C levels below 7%.
As high morning blood sugar levels can be a persistent issue, not addressing or treating them can lead to consistently high blood sugar for at least a few hours every day. This can increase your risk of diabetes complications over time.
Overnight low blood sugar episodes
For most people with diabetes, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) is when your blood sugar is below 70 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter).
Most people experience symptoms of low blood sugar, such as:
- Shaking or trembling.
- Intense hunger (polyphagia).
- Sweating and chills.
- Dizziness or lightheadedness.
- Faster heart rate.
However, if you experience low blood sugar while you’re sleeping, it may take longer for you to notice symptoms and wake up. This can be dangerous, and severe hypoglycemia can be life-threatening. Symptoms of overnight lows may be slightly different and include:
- Restless, irritable sleep.
- Feeling tired or confused after waking up.
- Having nightmares.
- Sweating through your pajamas or sheets.
When you have any low blood sugar symptoms, it’s important to check your blood sugar to see if your levels are low (and how low they are). This will guide how you treat the low blood sugar. You need to consume fast-acting carbohydrates (sugar), like a banana or apple juice, to treat hypoglycemia.
If you’re experiencing frequent low blood sugar episodes overnight, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider. Together, you’ll adjust your diabetes management plan to prevent future episodes.
