5 Surprising causes of blood sugar swings

5 Surprising causes of blood sugar swings

Blood sugar levels can be fickle.  Ask any person with diabetes and they will agree. Maintaining a proper blood glucose level is key however, for warding off potential diabetes complications such as chronic kidney disease, nerve damage, vision problems, stroke, and heart disease. When blood sugar levels are kept in check on a daily basis, you will have more energy and focus, and will feel better overall. But when blood sugar is poorly controlled, you may experience symptoms such as frequent urination, sores that won’t heal, blurred vision, and unexplained weight gain.

There are three main keys to achieving good blood sugar control – effective meal planning, regular exercise, and taking your diabetes medication if you have been prescribed one.  Also important is using a blood glucose meter to track your blood glucose numbers daily.  That way, you can get an idea of how your blood sugars are doing giving you a better picture of what is going on.

Sometimes, you may feel like you are doing everything right yet your blood sugar has gotten out of a healthy range.  What is going on?  Here are some possible reasons of some lesser-known factors influencing your blood glucose you may not be aware of. 

1. Using too many artificial sweeteners

It is very common for people with diabetes to reach for diet drinks as a substitute for regular soda or juice.  It would make sense that a sugar-free beverage should not raise your blood sugar, right? But artificial sweeteners may not be completely neutral after all. Some studies have shown drinks artificially sweetened beverages could cause a spike in blood glucose but this research is not definitive as other studies have found them to have no effect on blood glucose.  Experiment for yourself. If you drink a lot of artificially sweetened beverages each day – more than 3 a day – cut back and see if it has an impact on your blood glucose. Be sure to choose water or seltzer and not regular soda when you do this experiment.

2. You may be dehydrated

If your blood glucose levels have been soaring lately, you could be dehydrated. When you are not drinking sufficient fluids, this can lead to hyperglycemia or high blood glucose levels. When dehydrated, the sugar in your bloodstream becomes more concentrated. When this happens, your blood glucose levels rise causing you to urinate more frequently as your body makes attempts at trying to flush out the excess glucose.  Frequent urination leads to more dehydration. All of us but especially anyone with diabetes should be vigilant about drinking plenty of water or other calorie-free beverage each day to keep well-hydrated.

3.  Restless nights or lack of sleep

Not only can tossing and turning all night cause lack of energy the next day but it also spells trouble for your diabetes. Sleep is restorative. Lacking it can be a form of stress on the body and when you are feeling stressed, this can make blood glucose levels rise. It’s important to have a consistent sleep routine to improve a better night’s sleep. Try going to bed and getting up at the same time every day and not engaging in screen for at least an hour before bedtime. Overtime, you should see a gradual improvement in blood glucose.

4. Mistakes made when testing blood glucose

You may be a seasoned pro at checking your blood glucose but are you always following steps to prevent inaccurate readings?  It always helps to review.  First, always wash your hands before testing preferably with soap and water.  An alcohol swab can be used if you have no access to a sink.  The main thing is to wash your hands before checking your blood sugar so as not to experience a false alarm.  Testing after handling food can produce an erroneously high reading as sugar residue on the skin making the reading inaccurate. Also, after washing hands before testing, be sure to dry them well leaving no moistness on your fingers.  Any excess moisture on the skin can also cause a erroneously low blood glucose reading as it will dilute out the blood sample. 

5. Some medications can mess with blood glucose readings

Your medicine cabinet or what’s in it may sometimes be a cause of blood sugar swings. Whether you’re using prescription or over-the-counter medications, some can lead to blood sugar highs or lows. One example is steroids which can cause blood sugar to shoot up dramatically. Birth control pills, certain antidepressants and antipsychotics, some diuretics, and nasal decongestants may also cause higher-than-normal readings.  Other drugs may cause lower blood sugar or make it more difficult to recognize signs of hypoglycemia.  Consult with your doctor before taking any new medications, prescription or not. Ask if any of them interfere with diabetes management or interact with other medications you may be taking.