Imagine this: you’ve eaten nothing since dinner, slept a solid eight hours, and wake up feeling good. Then you check your blood sugar—and it’s higher than it was the night before.

Wait… what?

Welcome to the mysterious (but totally normal) world of the dawn effect.

What’s Going On?

In the early hours of the morning—usually between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m.—your body starts prepping for the day. It releases a mix of hormones like cortisol, growth hormone, and adrenaline to boost energy and get you moving.

These hormones signal your liver to release glucose into your bloodstream for a little wake-up fuel.

But here’s the twist: if you have insulin resistance or prediabetes, your body may not handle that extra glucose efficiently. Instead of soaking it up smoothly, your blood sugar stays elevated—sometimes even higher than after a meal.

Why It’s Confusing

People often expect fasting to lower blood sugar. So when they see a morning spike, they think:

• “Did I eat something weird last night?”

• “Is this a bad sign?”

• “Am I doing something wrong?”

In reality, it’s just biology doing its thing.

How to Know if It's the Dawn Effect

Clues that it might be the dawn effect:

• You go to bed with stable glucose (say, 95 mg/dL)

• You wake up without eating, but your glucose is higher (like 110–120+)

• It drops back down after breakfast or a short walk

Can You Do Anything About It?

Yes—but it’s not always necessary unless it’s causing real issues. A few gentle tactics:

• Don’t skip breakfast. Eating something small can help stop the liver from pumping out more sugar.

• Walk after dinner. Light movement in the evening can improve overnight insulin sensitivity.

• Watch carbs at night. Late-night pasta may supercharge the dawn effect.

• Experiment with timing. Some people find their morning spike improves if they shift dinner earlier.

Bottom Line

The dawn effect isn’t a failure—it’s just your body’s version of a wake-up call. If your morning numbers are consistently elevated, track patterns and talk with your doctor or health coach.

Sometimes, understanding why your blood sugar moves is half the battle.

Take the next step.
Great health starts with everyday choices.
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