First up, if you missed Part 1 of my CGM experiment, you can find it here.
The Dexcon7 CGM was designed for diabetics. It was one of two options at Levels Health, and I didn’t do any research beforehand. Big mistake.
The Midnight Alarm Fiasco
Built into the Dexcon CGMs is an alarm to alert diabetics when blood sugar dips into dangerous territory. Since I’m not at risk, I turned off all notifications.
Despite setting my phone to Do Not Disturb (as I do every night), Dexcom is designed to override these settings for potentially dangerous readings.
Around 1 am, a couple nights into my 30-day experiment, the beast unleashed a noise so frighteningly loud I thought we were at war. Flailing around, trying to silence something supposedly on silent mode, I finally shut the phone down completely. Then spent 45 minutes trying to restore calm to my rattled nervous system.
Research revealed you cannot disable a Dexcom7 alarm. Solution for the remaining 27 nights? I turned off my phone completely.
The Nighttime Blood Sugar Mystery
My first question the next morning: “Why did my blood sugar drop into the 50-55 range in the middle of the night?”
The answer came from the LevelsHealth blog. I’d assumed it was the wine I’d had around 8:30 pm – conventional wisdom says alcohol depletes glucose in the liver. Levels added important context:
“If you tend to stop eating earlier in the evening and don’t snack at night, this fasting window will be greater, leading to lower glucose levels. Additionally, drinking alcohol could decrease the liver’s ability to make new glucose via gluconeogenesis, leading to lower circulating levels.”
Other possible contributors to low nighttime blood sugar? Eating too late, heavy exercise close to bedtime, certain medications, and even too much pressure on the monitor from sleeping on it.
Food Revelations
A quick primer: eating causes your blood sugar to rise and fall. The goal for better metabolic health is keeping your glycemic variability looking more like gently rolling hills than tall peaks and deep valleys.
The Breakfast Shocker
Remember that “healthy breakfast” from Part 1? Crunchy sugar-free peanut butter, 3 Finn Crisps, and sliced apple. Sounds balanced, right? Fiber, protein, whole grain carbs, fruit.
My levels shot up 50 points above baseline! Ouch. The remedy? Movement. Rather than abandoning this twice-weekly delight, I now eat it on days I know I’ll be working outside or exercising.
Other Food Findings:
- Coffee with coconut sugar and half-and-half: minimal 10mg rise
- Same amount of white sugar in tea: spike city
- Home-cooked meals with minimal processed ingredients: stayed within range
- Sushi: major spike (thanks, white rice)
- Half bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon: similar spike (not from the cheese or fish)
- Glass of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with olives or cheese: barely a bump
- Kids sized cup of soft serve ice cream–pretty big jump but so worth it!
Non-Food Factors:
- HIIT exercise: temporary spikes
- Getting frustrated: yes, stress visibly raises blood sugar
What I Learned (And What’s Next)
There’s no doubt that starchy carbs shoot my blood sugar higher than desired. While I don’t eat many of them, this 30-day experiment has made me more mindful about what I eat and when. The timing matters significantly—movement, even a quick 10-minute walk after a carb-heavy meal, helps use up the resulting blood sugar rather than storing the excess as fat.
I’m gearing up for another 30-day CGM experiment with a new device introduced by Oura (makers of the Oura ring, which I wear and have a love-hate relationship with—more on that later). Why repeat the experiment with the same metrics when I’m not at risk for diabetes or insulin resistance? I’ve added a new exercise routine and now fast between 8 pm and 10 am. I’m curious to see how these changes affect my glucose patterns.
And because this is me—data lover, doing my best to stay on top of age-related changes and challenging conventional wisdom every step of the way.
Your Turn
Have you tried a CGM or considered tracking your blood sugar? I’d love to hear about your experiments or questions in the comments below.
If you’re curious about your own metabolic health, start small: try tracking how you feel after different meals, or experiment with a 10-minute walk after eating. Your body’s feedback is data too.
Rebellious wellness is about finding what works for YOUR body, not following someone else’s rules.
