Many doctors may ask you to test your blood sugar in the middle of the night to determine whether you’re experiencing Somogyi effect vs dawn phenomenon. (Low blood sugar overnight indicates somogyi effect.)
(Check our previous post for more information on Dawn effect)
Both the Somogyi Effect and the Dawn Phenomenon cause elevated blood sugars in the morning. Most people assume this happens because of the dawn phenomenon as it seems the Somogyi Effect of diabetes is lesser known by the general public.
The Somogyi Effect is rebound hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) overnight as a result of taking too much insulin or not eating enough the night before. In both instances, blood sugar levels drop low and the body can produce hormones to signal glucose production by the liver. And as a result, blood sugars go high again by the morning time.
Low blood sugar at night can be caused by not eating enough (skipping a bedtime snack, eating a smaller dinner than normal, etc.), or taking too much insulin or other medication that impacts blood sugar levels.
Treatment for the Somogyi Effect usually means adjusting either your food intake or your insulin dosage.