It's a common scenario: you enjoy a big dinner, perhaps high in fat or carbohydrates, and then head to bed. The next morning, your glucose monitor tells a story of massive fluctuations overnight—a roller coaster of spikes and dips.

Depending on the composition of your dinner, different patterns of glucose spikes can occur during the night. Meals high in fat may cause dual peaks of glucose as your body processes the food in phases.

• High-fat meals such as those including oils and greasy foods.
• Heavy meals laden with carbohydrates potentially contributing to prolonged digestion and glucose spikes.

When a meal takes longer to digest, especially if it is particularly heavy, your body continues to release glucose into the blood over an extended period, unsettling your glucose levels.

A night marked by multiple glucose spikes is not just an issue for your metabolic health; it also affects the quality of your sleep. Often, these fluctuations interfere with achieving restful slumber, leading to groggy mornings.

Studies and personal experiences reveal that nights with unstable glucose levels often result in fewer deep, restorative sleep phases. This means leaving you less refreshed for the day ahead.

I always try—I can't always do it, but I aim to have my dinner at least three hours before bed.

If you are struggling with sleep quality due to fluctuating glucose levels at night, consider the timing and the content of your evening meals. Ensuring a longer gap between dinner and bedtime can be a key strategy to stabilize nocturnal glucose variations.

• Plan to finish your dinner three hours before sleeping.
• Opt for balanced meals to avoid excessive fats or carbs close to bedtime.
• Monitor the effects of different foods using a glucose monitor for tailored data.