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GLUCOSE SCIENCE

Glucose Science

Blood sugar moves for reasons: what you ate, when you slept, hormones, stress, and more. These articles explain what your glucose numbers and curve shapes mean, from post-meal spikes and overnight rises to metrics like time in range, GMI, and A1C.

Should You Eat Before a Blood Test
Glucose Science

Should You Eat Before a Blood Test? What You Need to Know

Learn which blood tests require fasting, how eating affects glucose and lipid results, and what to do if your fasting result doesn't match your CGM.

Why the Same Meal Spikes Blood Sugar Differently by Cycle Phase
Glucose Science

Why the Same Meal Spikes Blood Sugar Differently by Cycle Phase

Your breakfast spikes some days but not others? Hormonal shifts during your menstrual cycle can change insulin sensitivity and glucose response.

Why Did My Blood Sugar Spike After a Low-Carb Meal
Glucose Science

Why Did My Blood Sugar Spike After a Low-Carb Meal?

Your low-carb meal spiked your blood sugar anyway. Protein, glucagon, stress, and hidden carbs all play a role. Here's what's actually happening.

What's a Typical Blood Sugar Level Before Bed
Glucose Science

What's a Typical Blood Sugar Level Before Bed?

Target bedtime glucose is typically 100-140 mg/dL, but personal patterns matter more. Learn what affects overnight blood sugar and how to track it.

Header illustration for an article on the dawn phenomenon and why blood sugar rises overnight.
Glucose Science

What Is the Dawn Phenomenon and Why Does Blood Sugar Rise Overnight?

Why does blood sugar rise between 4 and 8 a.m.? Learn what causes the dawn phenomenon, how to spot it on your CGM, and practical ways to manage it.

Header illustration for an article on why GMI and A1C don't match.
Glucose Science

Why GMI and A1C Don't Match: 6 Common Reasons Your Numbers Disagree

Your GMI and A1C don't line up? Red blood cell turnover, CGM timing, and calibration differences can all create gaps between these two metrics.

Header illustration for an article on why blood sugar drops after eating on a CGM.
Glucose Science

Blood Sugar Drops After Eating: Why Your CGM May Show a Post-Meal Dip

Your CGM shows a glucose drop after eating. Is it reactive hypoglycemia, sensor lag, or meal composition? Learn how to read post-meal dips.

Illustration of how a night of sleep changes the next day's glucose
Glucose Science

Why Sleep Can Change Your Glucose the Next Day

Poor sleep affects insulin sensitivity and stress hormones, changing blood sugar the next day. Learn how sleep quality impacts glucose control.

Illustration of a post-meal glucose spike in a person without diabetes
Glucose Science

Glucose Spikes in People Without Diabetes: What's Normal and What's Not

Learn what glucose spikes look like in people without diabetes, what causes them, and when patterns might warrant a conversation with your doctor.

Why breakfast spikes your glucose more than lunch or dinner
Glucose Science

Why Breakfast Spikes Your Glucose More Than Lunch or Dinner

Morning glucose spikes hit harder because of the dawn phenomenon and reduced insulin sensitivity, not just because of what you ate. Here is what causes them and what you can do about it.

Normal CGM curve after eating
Glucose Science

Normal CGM Graph After Eating: What Patterns Are Common?

After eating, glucose usually rises within 15–30 minutes, peaks between one and two hours, and returns to baseline within two to three hours. Here's what shapes that curve.

A plate of salmon with avocado, quinoa, and roasted vegetables alongside a bowl of white rice and toast, illustrating how different foods digest at different rates.
Glucose Science

Why Some Meals Peak at 1 Hour and Others at 3 or 4

Learn why glucose peaks vary after meals. Some foods spike in an hour, others take 3-4. We break down the factors that change your CGM curve timing.

Glucose Science

How to Improve Your Time-in-Range: A Practical Guide for 2026

Learn evidence-based strategies to improve your time-in-range using CGM data, meal planning, exercise, and stress management for better glucose control.

Return to Baseline vs Peak: Which Part of Your Glucose Curve Matters More?
Glucose Science

Return to Baseline vs Peak: Which Part of Your Glucose Curve Matters More?

Understand glucose peaks and return to baseline in your CGM data. Learn which matters more for diabetes management and how to interpret your curve.

What Does Your Blood Sugar Number Mean? A CGM Guide to Any Glucose Number
Glucose Science

What Does Your Blood Sugar Number Mean? A CGM Guide to Any Glucose Number

Confused by 86, 89, or 110 mg/dL? Learn what a single glucose number means based on timing, and what CGM users should focus on instead: trends, Time in Range, and weekly patterns.

Factors Impacting Your Glucose Levels and What You Can Do About It
Glucose Science

Factors Impacting Your Glucose Levels and What You Can Do About It

Why my blood sugar levels fluctuate even when you eat the same foods? Factors like stress, sleep, hydration, and even the weather can play a bigger role than you think.

How to Improve Your Time-in-Range After Meals
Glucose Science

How to Improve Your Time-in-Range After Meals

More clinicians and people with diabetes are becoming aware of Time-in-Range, a powerful metric to manage your diabetes.

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