6 Habits That Trigger High Blood Sugar At Night

High blood sugar illustration (Pexels)

JAKARTA - Keeping blood sugar levels stable does not only depend on the food consumed, but also on daily habits, especially at night.

A consistent healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, adequate sleep, and stress management, has proven to help the body regulate glucose levels more effectively.

One of the crucial times in maintaining the stability of blood sugar is before sleep, when the body tends to be less efficient in processing glucose.

Unfortunately, many people actually undergo habits that have a bad impact on blood sugar control at night. One of them is eating a large portion just before going to bed.

Reporting from Eating Well, the body produces fewer insulin at night, so that glucose metabolism is not as optimal as morning or noon.

Here are some habits at night that should be avoided in order to keep blood sugar balanced:

High-carb foods, especially those from processed sources such as white bread, noodles, sweet cakes, or sugary drinks, can cause a rapid jump in blood sugar. Diabetes educator Michelle Routhenstein, MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, warned that consumption of processed carbohydrates after 5 p.m. becomes more difficult to handle because of slowing digestion at night.

Consumption of alcoholic beverages at night can have an impact on fluctuations in blood sugar levels, not only during sleep but also the next morning. Alcohol can interfere with liver function in regulating glucose, especially when consumed without companion food.

Insufficient sleep time can affect hormones that play a role in blood sugar control. Research shows that poor sleep reduces insulin sensitivity and increases stress hormones such as cortisol, which ultimately triggers an increase in blood sugar and the desire to eat high-carb food the next day.

Even light dehydration can have an impact on blood sugar settings. Lack of fluids can reduce insulin sensitivity and make glucose levels higher than they should be. Maintaining adequate water intake at night helps maintain the body's metabolism balance.

Sitting still for too long after dinner could worsen the jump in blood sugar. Light activities such as walking 510 minutes in 1.5 hours after eating were shown to increase insulin sensitivity and help lower blood sugar levels, according to Routhenstein.

Uncontrolled chronic stress will increase the production of cortisol hormones, which affect insulin and glucose regulation. Simple activities at night such as reading, stretching, bathing in warm water, or meditation, can help calm the nervous system and maintain the stability of blood sugar levels.