The CGM Blog
How Knowing Your Glucose Patterns Can Help You Manage Diabetes
Blood sugar monitoring is one of the cornerstones of effective diabetes management. Keeping track of patterns in your blood sugar, also known as glucose, can provide clarity around what’s going on in your body and give you a greater sense of control around your diabetes management. Identifying glucose patterns can also help you and your care team improve your diabetes treatment and self-management plan as time goes on. It’s not always easy to spot trends and patterns in your glucose. Learning more about what to look for can empower you to uncover insights that point you in the right direction when it comes to your self-care routines and treatment strategies.
What are Glucose Patterns?
If you’re just getting started monitoring your glucose, you may feel like your levels fluctuate randomly. Over time, as you pay attention to your body and take regular glucose readings, you may start to notice that certain things affect your glucose in the same way, or that your glucose levels change at a specific time of day. For example, you might realize that you often experience a spike in your glucose when you wake up in the morning, or you could find yourself going low just after a new workout you’ve been trying for a few weeks. On the other hand, you might notice that your glucose stays within your target glucose range (generally defined as being between 3.9 mmol/L and 10.0 mmol/L1) when you remember to take a walk after dinner, or that eating a certain breakfast food seems to reduce morning glucose spikes.
How to Track Your Glucose Patterns
The more glucose readings you have, the easier it is to spot patterns developing over time. If you’re using a blood glucose meter (BGM) to check your glucose, it can be hard to connect the dots and notice patterns in your readings. A BGM can only give you a snapshot of your glucose level the moment you prick your finger. If you want to see if there are patterns in your glucose as time goes on, you need to gather as many readings as possible by pricking your finger several times throughout the day. You also need to remember to test around the same times each day so you can see if your readings change or stay consistent from day to day. Taking a lot of readings is important to see if there is a pattern, but it can also interrupt your regular routines and be painful and exhausting. If the BGM you use doesn’t automatically log your readings, you also need to record them and take the time to analyze your numbers, which can be confusing and frustrating.
An effective way to uncover patterns in your glucose is to use a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system. Dexcom CGM Systems can take glucose readings continuously up to every five minutes and display readings in an easy-to-read graph on a compatible smartphone, smartwatch, or receiver, eliminating the need for routine fingersticks.*† Using the glucose graph, you can see where your glucose has been over the last 24 hours at a glance. This can give you the opportunity to spot patterns as they come up throughout the day and at night, providing insight into what’s happening with your glucose even if you can’t take a moment to prick your finger.
Dexcom CGM Systems can also be connected to the Dexcom Clarity app. With Dexcom Clarity, you can see days’, weeks’, and months’ worth of your past glucose readings. Dexcom Clarity automatically highlights important glucose patterns such as repeated nighttime hypoglycemia or highs during similar times throughout the week. Dexcom Clarity also shows key glucose pattern measurements like your time in range (TIR), average glucose level over a specific period, and your glucose management indicator (GMI), which is an approximation of your A1C. The app’s main screen shows your most prominent patterns in easy-to-understand graphs. You can explore trends in greater detail using the in-depth patterns report. Through data sharing and interactive reports with Dexcom Clarity, your doctor or diabetes care team can review your glucose patterns and provide guidance to better support your diabetes management.
Identifying Positive Glucose Patterns
Maintaining positive glucose patterns—such as having a healthy A1C or staying within the desired target range you’ve established with your doctor—can help you feel your best and contribute to a reduced risk of experiencing diabetes complications.2 Spending more time in your target range is a positive pattern to look out for, as it can indicate that your glucose management strategies are working well. Diabetes Canada recommends that adults over the age of 18 aim for an A1C at or below 7.0%,1 which roughly translates to spending at least 70% of the time within the suggested target range of 3.9 mmol/L to 10.0 mmol/L.3 To give you an idea of what a healthy blood sugar range can look like, here are Diabetes Canada’s general guidelines for glucose targets across all age groups.
Age Group | A1C | Glucose before Eating | Glucose after Eating | General Target |
Children under 184 | ≤7.5% | 4.0–8.0 mmol/L | 5.0–10.0 mmol/L | 3.9–10.0mmol/L |
Most Adults Over 181 | ≤7.0% | 4.0–7.0 mmol/L | 5.0–10.0 mmol/L | 3.9–10.0mmol/L |
Older Adults Over 60‡5 | 7.1-8.5% | 4.0–9.0 mmol/L | 5.0–14.0 mmol/L | 3.9–10.0mmol/L |
Using the Dexcom G7 CGM System makes it easy to track your TIR and spot important glucose trends. In the Dexcom G7 app, just a scroll below your daily glucose graph, you can see the integrated Clarity Card which shows you your TIR, average glucose, and GMI at a glance. Both the Clarity Card and the Dexcom Clarity app show your Best Glucose Day, which is the day you spent the most time in your target range within a specified time range. With this insight, you can quickly identify patterns in your glucose, celebrate your success, and plan to stick with the supportive choices you made in the future.
Learning About Your Personal Glucose Patterns
There are many factors that affect glucose. Understanding your glucose patterns is an ongoing process of checking in with your body and monitoring your readings to see what parts of your diabetes management routine are working, and what needs improvement. Here are just a few areas you can start paying attention to as you begin learning your own personal glucose patterns.
1. Take an Investigative Approach to Eating
Foods and drinks are major variables that have an impact on your glucose. What you consume, how much you consume, and even what time you have meals, snacks, and beverages have a direct impact on your glucose patterns. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all diet for glucose management, so Diabetes Canada recommends that individuals living with diabetes consult a diabetes dietitian to help them create a personalized meal plan that meets their unique needs.6
As you implement new diet choices, it’s a good idea to pay attention to the glycemic index (GI) of what you consume.7 Foods and beverages with a higher GI can raise your glucose levels quickly after you eat them.7 Foods with more fibre content typically have a lower GI because they take longer to break down in the body, delaying the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream.8 Eating meals that contain a healthy combination of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins contribute to keeping your glucose levels stable.9 Ensuring that you eat at regular intervals throughout the day can also play a role in regulating your glucose patterns and keeping you in your target range more often.9 Diabetes Canada has a library of diabetes-friendly recipes to inspire you to create meals that are delicious, nourishing, and balanced.
2. Notice How Your Routines and Activities Impact Your Glucose
In addition to the foods you eat, your daily routines have an effect on your glucose. This includes your sleep schedule and how physically active you are. As time passes, you will likely get a sense of how your glucose patterns align with events in your regular routine.
Your sleep patterns are closely associated with your glucose patterns. Not getting enough sleep or going to bed later than usual can lead to experiencing high glucose after your meals the following day because sleeping less makes it harder for the body to use insulin and can increase the release of stress hormones that keep glucose high.10,11 You might want to think about tracking your sleep patterns with an app or keeping a sleep journal so that you can cross-reference that information with your glucose readings.
Your glucose levels also respond to how much movement you’re engaging in. When we’re physically active, our muscles can use glucose without needing insulin, which can lower glucose levels in the moment and work to keep them low over time.12 On the other hand, intense activity can cause a glucose spike.12 It’s a good idea to keep this in mind when you’re tracking your glucose patterns around your exercise routine. However, it’s also important to note that chores and activities like shovelling the driveway, scraping your windshield on a winter morning, cleaning the house, or carrying groceries up a flight of stairs can cause changes in your glucose levels, too.
3. Understand How Your Biology Can Change Your Patterns
Glucose regulation is an extremely complex process. You may already know that insulin is the main hormone responsible for enabling the body to manage the glucose you get from foods and drinks. However, other hormones and processes in the body also influence your glucose patterns.13 In periods of life when hormones change significantly, such as during adolescence, pregnancy, and menopause, individuals can experience major shifts in their glucose patterns.14,15 Those who menstruate may notice that their glucose patterns shift throughout their monthly cycle, particularly before or during their period.16
Getting sick can also change your glucose patterns. When you have a cold or flu, you may not have much of an appetite, which means that you might not get as much glucose as you usually would. Experiencing vomiting or diarrhea can also put you at risk of dehydration.17 It’s critical to keep an eye on your glucose when you get sick so that you can carry out the sick day plan you’ve developed with your doctor’s guidance. Using a Dexcom CGM System can be particularly helpful when your glucose patterns are changing quickly due to hormonal changes or illness. It can give you real-time insight into where your glucose is at, and where it’s headed, enabling you to take proactive action to stay in your target range.
4. Be Mindful of Your Mental State
What’s happening in your mind can affect your glucose management. When we feel stressed, the body sends out hormones that can spike glucose levels. If we’re worried or anxious on a regular basis, the body continues to produce those hormones, which can keep glucose high.18,19,20 When you’re reviewing your glucose data, remember that periods of stress or moments of acute stress—like feeling nervous before a presentation—play a role in the trends you’re seeing.
Sometimes, we experience stressors that are not necessarily within our control, like losing a loved one, facing challenges at work, moving to a new home, or supporting your kids as they navigate their own struggles.21 Under these circumstances, it’s important to practice self-compassion and find ways to give yourself some extra care. When you’re going through a difficult time, consider talking to your doctor about adapting your diabetes management routines to address the fact that you’re experiencing a season of stress.
Spot and Track Your Glucose Patterns with the Dexcom G7 CGM System
Identifying patterns in your glucose empowers you to take action based on what’s really going on in your body. The Dexcom G7 Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) System can help you keep track of changes in your glucose and what causes them, allowing you to see patterns that emerge over time. You can easily make note of activities and factors that impact your glucose throughout the day in the Dexcom G7 app to see why your levels have changed. You can also connect your health tracking apps like Apple Health and Google Fit, as well as carb counting apps like RxFood, to see your activity and meal data right alongside your glucose numbers.
The integrated Clarity Card on the Dexcom G7 app offers further insights into your TIR, average glucose, and GMI. With this information, you can quickly spot patterns in your glucose, see your progress, and stay motivated to keep making choices that help you feel your best every day.
* Smart devices sold separately. For a list of compatible devices, please visit dexcom.com/compatibility
† Routine fingersticks required for diabetes treatment decisions if symptoms or expectations do not match readings.
‡Diabetes Canada Clinical Practice Guidelines outline that the definition of “older” varies, with some studies defining the elderly population as ≥60 years of age. Administrative guidelines frequently classify people >65 years of age as older. Although there is no uniformly agreed-upon definition of older, it is generally accepted that this is a concept that reflects an age continuum starting sometime around age 70 and is characterized by a slow, progressive impairment in function that continues until the end of life. For details, please see https://guidelines.diabetes.ca/cpg/chapter37
† Routine fingersticks required for diabetes treatment decisions if symptoms or expectations do not match readings.
‡Diabetes Canada Clinical Practice Guidelines outline that the definition of “older” varies, with some studies defining the elderly population as ≥60 years of age. Administrative guidelines frequently classify people >65 years of age as older. Although there is no uniformly agreed-upon definition of older, it is generally accepted that this is a concept that reflects an age continuum starting sometime around age 70 and is characterized by a slow, progressive impairment in function that continues until the end of life. For details, please see https://guidelines.diabetes.ca/cpg/chapter37
1 Imran AS, et. al. Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Diabetes in Canada: Targets for Glycemic Control. Can J Diabetes. 2018:42(S42–S46). doi: 10.1016/j.jcjd.2017.10.030
2 Managing your blood sugar. Diabetes Canada. September 12, 2024. https://www.diabetes.ca/resources/tools---resources/managing-your-blood-sugar
3 What is Time in Range?: Why is Time in Range Important? Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Accessed September 10, 2024. https://jdrf.ca/resources/time-in-range/
4 Wherrett DK, et al. Diabetes Canada 2018 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Diabetes in Canada: Type 1 Diabetes in Children and Adolescents. Can J Diabetes. 2018;42 Suppl 1:S234-S246. doi:10.1016/j.jcjd.2017.10.036
5 Meneilly GS, et. al. Diabetes Canada 2018 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Diabetes in Canada: Diabetes in Older People. Can J Diabetes. 2018;42(Suppl 1):S88-S103. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjd.2017.10.021
6 Sievenpiper JL, et al. Diabetes Canada 2018 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Diabetes in Canada: Nutrition Therapy. Can J Diabetes. 2018;42 Suppl 1:S64-S79. doi:10.1016/j.jcjd.2017.10.009
7 The glycemic index (GI). Diabetes Canada. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.diabetes.ca/resources/tools---resources/the-glycemic-index-(gi)
8 Fiber: The Carb That Helps You Manage Diabetes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reviewed June 20, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/healthy-eating/fiber-helps-diabetes.html
9 Basic meal planning. Diabetes Canada. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.diabetes.ca/resources/tools---resources/basic-meal-planning
10 Tsereteli N, et al. Impact of insufficient sleep on dysregulated blood glucose control under standardised meal conditions. Diabetologia. 2022;65(2):356-365. doi:10.1007/s00125-021-05608-y
11 Pacheco D, et al. Sleep and Blood Glucose Levels. Sleep Foundation. Updated October 26, 2023. Accessed September 11, 2024. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-health/sleep-and-blood-glucose-levels
12 Blood Glucose and Exercise. American Diabetes Association. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://diabetes.org/health-wellness/fitness/blood-glucose-and-exercise
13 Metabolism. Cleveland Clinic. Reviewed August 30, 2021. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21893-metabolism
14 Diabetes and Women. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated June 20, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/risk-factors/diabetes-and-women-1.html
15 Breakthrough T1D Teen Pack. Breakthrough T1D. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.breakthrought1d.org/t1d-resources/relationships/supporting-teenagers-with-t1d/
16 Menstruation and type 1 diabetes. Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://jdrf.ca/life-with-t1d/menstruation-and-type-1-diabetes/
17 Managing Sick Days. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated May 15, 2024. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/living-with/managing-sick-days.html
18 Robinson D.J., et al. Diabetes Canada 2018 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Diabetes in Canada: Diabetes and Mental Health. Can J Diabetes. 2018:42 Suppl 1:S130-S141. doi:10.1016/j.jcjd.2017.10.031
19 Sharma K, et. al. Stress-Induced Diabetes: A Review. Cureus. 2022;14(9):e29142. doi:10.7759/cureus.29142
20 Ingrosso D.M.F., et al. Stress and Diabetes Mellitus: Pathogenetic Mechanisms and Clinical Outcome. Horm Res Paediatr. 2023;96(1): 34–43. doi:10.1159/000522431
21 Hilliard ME,et al. Stress and A1c Among People with Diabetes Across the Lifespan. Curr Diab Rep. 2016;16(8):67. doi:10.1007/s11892-016-0761-3
2 Managing your blood sugar. Diabetes Canada. September 12, 2024. https://www.diabetes.ca/resources/tools---resources/managing-your-blood-sugar
3 What is Time in Range?: Why is Time in Range Important? Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Accessed September 10, 2024. https://jdrf.ca/resources/time-in-range/
4 Wherrett DK, et al. Diabetes Canada 2018 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Diabetes in Canada: Type 1 Diabetes in Children and Adolescents. Can J Diabetes. 2018;42 Suppl 1:S234-S246. doi:10.1016/j.jcjd.2017.10.036
5 Meneilly GS, et. al. Diabetes Canada 2018 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Diabetes in Canada: Diabetes in Older People. Can J Diabetes. 2018;42(Suppl 1):S88-S103. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjd.2017.10.021
6 Sievenpiper JL, et al. Diabetes Canada 2018 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Diabetes in Canada: Nutrition Therapy. Can J Diabetes. 2018;42 Suppl 1:S64-S79. doi:10.1016/j.jcjd.2017.10.009
7 The glycemic index (GI). Diabetes Canada. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.diabetes.ca/resources/tools---resources/the-glycemic-index-(gi)
8 Fiber: The Carb That Helps You Manage Diabetes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reviewed June 20, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/healthy-eating/fiber-helps-diabetes.html
9 Basic meal planning. Diabetes Canada. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.diabetes.ca/resources/tools---resources/basic-meal-planning
10 Tsereteli N, et al. Impact of insufficient sleep on dysregulated blood glucose control under standardised meal conditions. Diabetologia. 2022;65(2):356-365. doi:10.1007/s00125-021-05608-y
11 Pacheco D, et al. Sleep and Blood Glucose Levels. Sleep Foundation. Updated October 26, 2023. Accessed September 11, 2024. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-health/sleep-and-blood-glucose-levels
12 Blood Glucose and Exercise. American Diabetes Association. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://diabetes.org/health-wellness/fitness/blood-glucose-and-exercise
13 Metabolism. Cleveland Clinic. Reviewed August 30, 2021. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21893-metabolism
14 Diabetes and Women. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated June 20, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/risk-factors/diabetes-and-women-1.html
15 Breakthrough T1D Teen Pack. Breakthrough T1D. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.breakthrought1d.org/t1d-resources/relationships/supporting-teenagers-with-t1d/
16 Menstruation and type 1 diabetes. Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://jdrf.ca/life-with-t1d/menstruation-and-type-1-diabetes/
17 Managing Sick Days. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated May 15, 2024. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/living-with/managing-sick-days.html
18 Robinson D.J., et al. Diabetes Canada 2018 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Diabetes in Canada: Diabetes and Mental Health. Can J Diabetes. 2018:42 Suppl 1:S130-S141. doi:10.1016/j.jcjd.2017.10.031
19 Sharma K, et. al. Stress-Induced Diabetes: A Review. Cureus. 2022;14(9):e29142. doi:10.7759/cureus.29142
20 Ingrosso D.M.F., et al. Stress and Diabetes Mellitus: Pathogenetic Mechanisms and Clinical Outcome. Horm Res Paediatr. 2023;96(1): 34–43. doi:10.1159/000522431
21 Hilliard ME,et al. Stress and A1c Among People with Diabetes Across the Lifespan. Curr Diab Rep. 2016;16(8):67. doi:10.1007/s11892-016-0761-3