Welcome back, health champions!👋

Ever done everything right all day — perfect meals, good exercise, no sneaky snacks — only to wake up to a blood sugar number that makes you say "What the heck?!" You're not imagining things, and you're definitely not failing. There's actual science behind those frustrating morning readings, and today we're diving into the aptly named "dawn phenomenon."

In This Issue:

• 🍽️ Recipes of the Week: Blood-Sugar Friendly Breakfast Ideas

• 💡 Health Guide: Morning Blood Sugar Mysteries Explained

• 🔬 Research Corner: Latest Findings on Prediabetes Management

BEST FINDS
Morning meals that matter! Need delicious, blood-sugar friendly breakfast options? We've got you covered with six fantastic recipes! Low-carb Blueberry Cream Cheese Roll-ups satisfy sweet cravings without the crash, while Sweet Potato Toast offers a nutrient-rich bread alternative. For heartier options, try the protein-packed Low Carb Breakfast Burrito Bowl or veggie-filled Mediterranean Frittata. Fitness fans will love the Pan Chocolate Protein Pancakes, and the High-protein Thai Omelette brings exciting flavors to your morning routine. Prediabetes-friendly eating never tasted so good!

Morning Blood Sugar Mysteries: Why You Wake Up High (Even After a Perfect Day)

Ever felt like your glucose meter is gaslighting you? You know the feeling — you ate all the right foods, moved your body, skipped the wine and dessert, then BAM! You wake up to numbers that make you wonder if your meter is broken.

Those mysterious morning highs aren't your fault. They're part of a well-documented biological phenomenon called the "dawn phenomenon" that affects millions of women with prediabetes and insulin resistance.

Your body has a built-in morning alarm system that signals your liver to release glucose between 3-8am. It's perfectly normal — but if you have prediabetes, your body struggles to properly manage this natural surge.

In this guide, we're breaking down exactly why this happens, what those numbers actually mean, and — most importantly — practical strategies to help tame those morning highs.

What's "Normal" For Morning Blood Sugar?

Let's clarify what's considered normal for fasting blood glucose (the reading when you first wake up after not eating for at least 8 hours):

Quick Fact: Some experts argue that optimal fasting glucose should actually be in the 85–95 mg/dL range for best long-term health outcomes.

Morning (fasting) glucose is particularly important because it's often one of the first numbers to rise as insulin resistance worsens. This makes it a critical early warning sign that metabolic changes are occurring, even before other symptoms appear.

The Dawn Phenomenon: Your Body's Natural Morning Reset

Here's what happens: Your body naturally releases a surge of hormones in the early morning hours — including cortisol and growth hormone — which signal your liver to boost glucose production. This biological process happens in everyone. It's actually part of your body's natural way of preparing you to wake up with enough energy to start your day.

When you don't have insulin resistance or prediabetes, your pancreas simply produces more insulin to balance this surge of glucose. But for women with prediabetes, this natural compensatory mechanism doesn't work effectively.

Studies show that prediabetes and type 2 diabetes can worsen the dawn phenomenon as insulin function and sensitivity decline over time. This explains why you might follow the same diet and exercise routine as a friend without prediabetes, yet still see those frustrating morning numbers.

How Much Does Blood Sugar Actually Rise?

Research has quantified how much blood sugar typically rises during the dawn phenomenon:

• In people without diabetes: the rise is minimal and quickly countered by insulin

• In prediabetes: blood sugar typically rises 15-20 mg/dL from the overnight low to pre-breakfast level

• In diabetes: the increase is usually more significant, ranging from 20-55 mg/dL

According to studies, a rise of 20 mg/dL or more from the overnight nadir (lowest point) to the pre-breakfast value is considered a clinically significant dawn phenomenon.

You're Not Alone

Roughly one in three people with prediabetes or insulin resistance experience the early-morning “dawn phenomenon.” Once diabetes is diagnosed, the figure rises to more than one in two — affecting over 50 % of those with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. In other words, a sunrise glucose bump is common physiology, not a personal failure.

The Science Behind Morning Highs: 3 Major Culprits

1. Dawn Phenomenon

Around 4–8 AM, cortisol and growth hormone rise to prepare your body for the day, triggering your liver to release glucose. If insulin isn't working well (as in prediabetes), glucose stays elevated rather than being efficiently moved into cells.

2. Overnight Gluconeogenesis

Your liver makes glucose from stored glycogen or protein while fasting. This natural process is worsened by stress, poor sleep, alcohol consumed the night before, or skipping meals.

3. Somogyi Effect (Less Common)

This is a rebound high after nighttime hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). While more common in insulin-treated diabetics, it can occasionally affect prediabetics with erratic meal patterns.

Other Factors That Influence Morning Blood Sugar

Biological Factors:

• Insulin resistance: Your liver doesn't respond properly to insulin and keeps making glucose

• Hormonal imbalances: Cortisol, estrogen, and thyroid hormones all play roles

• Menstrual cycle: The luteal phase can increase insulin resistance

Lifestyle Factors:

• Late-night snacking: Keeps insulin elevated and interferes with night-time fat burning

• Sleep quality: Research showed that just one night of poor sleep can raise fasting glucose

• Alcohol: Disrupts liver glucose metabolism overnight

• Exercise timing: Morning versus evening workouts affect glucose differently

Female Hormones

For women with prediabetes, hormonal fluctuations add another layer of complexity. As women age, changing levels of estrogen and progesterone affect blood sugar levels. These shifts, particularly during perimenopause and menopause, can exacerbate the dawn phenomenon.

Estrogen typically helps improve insulin sensitivity, so when estrogen levels decline during perimenopause and menopause, insulin resistance can worsen. This might explain why some women notice their morning blood sugar becomes more difficult to control during certain life stages.

Why High Morning Blood Sugar Matters

While occasional morning spikes aren't cause for immediate concern, consistently elevated morning blood sugar levels over time can impact your health significantly.

Research has shown that the dawn phenomenon can increase A1C levels by approximately 0.4%. To put this in perspective: each 1% increase in A1C is associated with a 15-20% increased risk of cardiovascular complications. This means that the 0.4% increase from dawn phenomenon alone could potentially increase cardiovascular risk by 6-8%.

Morning blood sugar is often the first number to rise as insulin resistance worsens, making it an early warning sign that deserves attention.

Seven Science-Backed Strategies to Tame Morning Highs

Evening Strategies

1. Sleep Sweet Spot: Getting 6 to 8 hours of quality sleep each night and going to bed before midnight may help reduce cortisol and improve your ability to tolerate glucose. Poor sleep quality has been linked to a greater magnitude of the dawn phenomenon.

2. Dinner Timing Matters: Eating dinner earlier in the evening and avoiding carbs close to bedtime can help manage early morning blood glucose levels. Consider making your evening meal the lowest in carbohydrates of all your daily meals.

3. Evening Exercise Edge: Exercising in the evening hours can help lower your blood sugar levels. A 10-minute post-dinner walk has been shown to significantly improve insulin sensitivity.

Morning Strategies

4. Rise and Refuel: Don't wait too long to eat breakfast when you wake up. Eating food early can help release insulin, which may lower blood glucose. Choose a breakfast lower in carbohydrates and higher in protein.

5. Carb Quality Counts: Being strategic about the amount and types of carbohydrates you consume can help. Focus on higher quality, complex carbohydrates rich in fiber rather than simple sugars and refined carbs.

6. Stress Less, Hydrate More: Chronic stress can increase cortisol levels, which raises blood glucose. Practices like deep breathing, meditation, or gentle yoga can help reduce stress hormones and may improve morning blood sugar levels.

The Bottom Line

Remember that managing morning blood sugar isn't about perfection—it's about progress. These strategies work best when combined and practiced consistently over time. While the dawn phenomenon is a natural biological process, implementing these science-backed approaches can help minimize its impact on your numbers. Start with one or two strategies that feel most manageable, then gradually incorporate others. With patience and persistence, you can wake up to better numbers and greater peace of mind.

🔬 Research Corner

New study (May 2025) shows insulin resistance in otherwise healthy American teens has increased from 14% to over 20% between 1999-2020. Young girls and overweight teens showed the most significant increases. While these teens don't have prediabetes yet, this rising trend of insulin resistance may signal future diabetes risk if left unaddressed.