Medically reviewed by Kelly Wood, MD
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- Blood sugar is typically higher in the morning because of a natural increase in hormone levels that triggers a rise in glucose.
- To lower your blood sugar levels, you can try strategies like drinking water right away, working some light exercise into your routine, and eating a breakfast high in protein and fiber.
- You can also try to prevent this early morning rise by eating lighter meals in the evening and working with your doctor to adjust your insulin dosage and timing.
Many people with diabetes notice their blood sugar is higher in the morning than any other time of day. This is often because of something called the dawn phenomenon: Rising hormone levels help you wake up in the morning but also trigger an increase in glucose (sugar) levels that your body’s insulin response can’t match. There are some things you can do every morning to get your blood sugar back into the normal range quickly.
1. Drink a Glass of Water Right Away
One of the first things you should do after waking up is drink a full glass of water. Most people don’t drink water continuously throughout the night, so it’s easy to wake up dehydrated. For people with diabetes, this dehydration can cause high blood sugar in the morning.
When you’re dehydrated, you have less water in your blood. The lack of water causes the ratio of water to glucose to become imbalanced, making your blood more concentrated with glucose. This effect can be so powerful that one older study found people who regularly didn’t drink enough water were at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes than people who regularly drank water.
Besides bringing your blood’s water-to-glucose ratio back to normal, hydration can also help keep your hormones in check. Dehydration can increase your body’s release of stress hormones, like cortisol and adrenaline, which have been linked to higher blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.
2. Get Some Exercise
Regular exercise is one of the best ways to manage diabetes because it helps your body become less insulin-resistant. That means your body can better use the insulin it produces to keep your blood sugar levels in a healthy range.
If you frequently have high blood sugar levels in the morning, building in time for exercise can be a great way to counteract it. Exercise helps your body burn glucose, so if you have extra sugar in your blood in the morning, working out can help you bring your levels down. Although exercise any time of day is beneficial for people with diabetes, some studies suggest that people who do more physical activity in the earlier part of the day generally have lower A1C levels and a lower risk of heart disease.
That said, some forms of high-intensity exercise can raise—not lower—blood sugar levels because they increase stress hormones like adrenaline. It’s important to monitor your blood sugar throughout the day and make note of the activities that cause changes. If your glucose is already high when you wake up and you usually see it spike with intense exercise, you may need to choose a low- or moderate-intensity workout like walking or strength training in the morning.
3. Eat Protein and Fiber for Breakfast
Eating an early meal is associated with better insulin sensitivity, helping your body release enough insulin to manage the natural rise in glucose. It’s best to choose foods containing protein and fiber for maximum glucose control.
- Protein: When you eat a high-protein meal, you’re more likely to get a slow, steady increase in blood sugar that allows for a more stable release of insulin. These benefits may be especially useful when you eat breakfast since people who consume a high-protein breakfast have been found to have lower glucose levels after not only that meal but also after lunch and dinner.
- Fiber: While you should avoid eating a breakfast high in refined carbohydrates that could cause your blood sugar to spike, you don’t need to avoid carbs completely. Complex carbs that contain a lot of fiber per serving have been linked to increased insulin sensitivity and more stabilized blood sugar levels among people with diabetes.
A breakfast high in protein or fiber can help you manage your glucose levels in the morning, but combining protein and fiber in the same meal may give you even better control. If you can add in a small amount of healthy fats—with nuts or nut butter, seeds, or avocado—you’ll have the three components recommended for a full diabetes-friendly meal.
4. Limit Your Caffeine
Research suggests that caffeinated beverages raise blood sugar levels by increasing the concentration of glucose in your blood and lowering your insulin sensitivity. That’s largely because caffeine triggers the release of stress hormones, which increases blood sugar levels. If your glucose is already high first thing in the morning, a cup of coffee could push it even higher.
This doesn't mean you have to give up coffee altogether. In fact, while caffeine can raise blood sugar in the short term, some research shows that the long-term effects on glucose may actually be positive. Caffeine may help lower the risk of developing diabetes in the first place.
In other words, you may still be able to enjoy a morning cup of coffee, but it’s worth checking your blood sugar after to see how your body responds. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that healthy adults limit their daily caffeine intake to 400 milligrams (about 2 to 3 cups), but it’s unclear how much is considered safe for people with diabetes. Consult with your healthcare provider if you aren’t sure whether caffeine in the morning is a good idea for you.
5. Add Apple Cider Vinegar to Your Morning Beverage
There’s a lot of anecdotal information about how apple cider vinegar can benefit your health, but one of the more well-researched claims relates to apple cider vinegar’s impact on blood sugar. Several studies have found positive links between apple cider vinegar and lower glucose levels in people with diabetes, specifically fasting blood glucose levels (which typically applies to your blood sugar in the morning, after not eating all night).
Because apple cider vinegar’s benefits are still being studied, there aren’t clear recommendations about how much to consume or how. Most experts, however, suggest starting with 15-30 milliliters, or 1-2 tablespoons, and strongly recommend diluting it with a full glass of water or adding it to some tea (taken alone, apple cider vinegar can be irritating to the mouth, throat, and stomach). You can also add apple cider vinegar to foods like sauces, soups, and dressings.
Can You Prevent a Morning Spike in Blood Sugar?
You may be able to reduce or even prevent a morning spike from happening with the right strategies:
- Eat a light, early dinner: Avoid eating large meals or eating too close to bedtime since both can cause your blood sugar to rise at night and potentially stay high while you sleep. It’s also a good idea to limit carbohydrates at night, focusing more on protein, since a high-carb meal can create an overnight spike in blood sugar.
- Exercise in the evening: If you don’t want to risk raising your glucose with exercise in the morning when it’s already high, an early evening workout can bring down your blood sugar levels and reduce the chances of an early morning spike.
- Consider adjusting your insulin: If you’re struggling to manage your glucose in the morning, reach out to your healthcare provider. Changing the dosage or timing of your insulin could prevent the medication from wearing off before you wake up, but this isn’t right for everyone. Always make sure you consult your provider before making any adjustments.
