Low and high glucose in Nightscout: spotting possible causes
This page helps you recognize recurring lows and persistently high glucose in Nightscout: at night, after meals, in the morning or at particular times of day.
What to look at first
- Overnight lows — do glucose drops recur at night, toward morning or during the same hours of sleep?
- High glucose after meals — after which meals, and how long afterward, does glucose typically rise too high?
- High glucose recurring at particular times — for example, in the morning, after dinner or before bed.
- Lows after a correction or bolus — does the same drop recur after an additional insulin dose or a meal?
- Sharp swings — when does glucose quickly fall and rise, with the issue occurring repeatedly?
How to review low and high glucose without misleading conclusions
- Do not draw conclusions from a single episode: recurrence under similar conditions helps identify a cause.
- Review nights separately: recurring overnight lows and drops often make a persistent issue easier to spot.
- Review several consecutive days: an episode repeating at a similar time is a useful signal.
- Look at recurring high glucose after meals, in the morning or at particular times, as well as at lows.
What to do next
This review makes it easier to identify where to look next: overnight background insulin, meals, bolus timing, corrections or recurring difficult times of day.