10 Surprising Things That Can Spike Your Blood Sugar

Do you know all these blood sugar triggers?

1. Sunburn—the pain causes stress, and stress increases blood sugar levels.
2. Artificial sweeteners—some studies show they can raise blood sugar.
3. Coffee—even without sweetener. Some people's blood sugar is extra-sensitive to caffeine.
4. Losing sleep—even just one night of too little sleep can make your body use insulin less efficiently.
5. Skipping breakfast—going without that morning meal can increase blood sugar after both lunch and dinner.
6. Time of day—blood sugar can be harder to control the later it gets.
7. Dawn phenomenon—hormones tend to surge early in the morning, and for people with diabetes blood sugar can spike.
8. Dehydration—less water in your body means that your blood sugar is more concentrated.
9. Nose spray—some contain chemicals that trigger your liver to make more blood sugar.
10. Gum disease—it's both a blood sugar spiker and a complication of diabetes.

Individual responses to each of these triggers may vary. If an activity or food is new, check your blood sugar before and after to see how you respond.