When to Do a Blood Sugar Test
Testing your blood sugar is a terrific tool that you can use to manage your blood sugar and help you feel better every day. The more often you test, the more information you'll have, giving you a clearer picture of how your self-care program is working.
The American Diabetes Association suggests daily testing for all patients with diabetes, especially for anyone using insulin to control their diabetes. In fact, if you have type 1 diabetes, your doctor is likely to have you test three or more times each day.1
Your healthcare team may suggest testing blood sugar at one or more of the following times, depending on your individual needs:2
• upon waking
• before each meal
• before a bedtime snack
• one or two hours after a meal
• in the middle of the night
• before exercising, to see if you need a snack
• immediately after exercising (and during, if you're active for more than an hour)
• in the hours after exercising, as blood sugar can continue to drop after activity
In addition to your regular schedule, it may be a good idea to test anytime you:3
• think your blood sugar may be too high or too low
• adjust your insulin or oral medication
• begin a new medication unrelated to diabetes
• change your exercise program or meal plan
• are sick or under stress
• eat unusual foods or drink alcohol
• travel
Work with your healthcare team to decide what blood sugar testing guidelines are right for you.
1 American Diabetes Association, “Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes,” Diabetes Care 27 (2004): S15-S35.Available at http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/27/suppl_1/s15. Accessed February 3, 2006.
2 Joslin Diabetes Center, "Blood Glucose Monitoring: Your Tool for Diabetes Control" (2006). Available at http://www.joslin.org/managing_your_diabetes_650.asp . Accessed February 3, 2006 ; American Diabetes Association, "Exercise: Getting Started." Available at http://www.diabetes.org/weightloss-and-exercise/exercise/getting-started.jsp. Accessed February 3, 2006.
3 Joslin Diabetes Center, "Blood Glucose Monitoring: Your Tool for Diabetes Control" (2006). Available at http://www.joslin.org/managing_your_diabetes_650.asp . Accessed February 3, 2006.