Living with diabetes means that your blood glucose (sometimes called blood sugar) levels fluctuate. You should have a target range that you want to keep your blood glucose levels within. This target should be discussed with your health care team. This range is important because it helps protect your body from diabetes-related complications. But what happens when your level drops below your target range?
What Is Low Blood Glucose (Hypoglycemia)?
For people living with type 1 diabetes or are taking insulin, you should be regularly checking your blood glucose levels. Throughout the day, your blood glucose levels will change—going up or down. This is expected and impacted by many different factors. If it goes up or down within your target range, you probably won't be able to tell. But if it goes below your target range and is not treated, it can get dangerous.
Low blood glucose, sometimes just called a low, is when your blood glucose levels have fallen low enough that you need to take action to bring them back to your target range. This is usually when your blood glucose is less than 70 mg/dL.
It's important to talk to your health care professional about your own blood glucose levels and if you’re at risk for going low. Together, you can determine what level is too low for you and when you should treat for a low.
"I was very much in denial about my type 1 diabetes. So much so that I pushed it to the side while I struggled with the very busy schedule of being a lead actress on a TV show in a foreign country. Unfortunately, this was the start of my many scary experiences with hypoglycemia. It wasn’t until my blood sugar went so low that I went unconscious that I finally started accepting my condition. Being diagnosed with diabetes came with a new set of challenges, but it didn’t have to disrupt my goals and aspirations. I realized that I could still live my life how I wanted to, as long as I made an effort to manage my condition properly." —Alexandra Park
Read Alex's story
