Simple Steps To Regain And Preserve Your Metabolic Health | Dr. Casey Means [e4a010]

2025-09-13

The Midnight Spike: Uncovering Why Blood Sugar Levels Rise at Night

When it comes to maintaining sugar test blood test healthy blood sugar levels, most of us are familiar with the importance of monitoring our numbers throughout the day. However, a less understood phenomenon is why blood sugar levels often rise during the night hours. This article will explore some key factors that contribute to this nighttime spike and provide insight into how we can mitigate its impact.

Insulin Sensitivity: The Key to Unlocking Stable Blood Sugar

The science behind are headaches a sign of low blood sugar normal blood sugar range explains that insulin sensitivity plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. Insulin resistance occurs when the body becomes less responsive to insulin, 16.4 blood sugar level leading to increased glucose production and subsequent high blood sugar levels. Research suggests that even mild degrees of insulin resistance can have significant effects on cardiovascular health.

The Impact of Stress on Blood Sugar Regulation

Stress has a well-documented impact on blood sugar fluctuations. When we experience stress, our body's "fight or flight" response is triggered, releasing cortisol and adrenaline into the bloodstream. Cortisol, in particular, promotes gluconeogenesis – the production of new glucose molecules from amino acids – thereby increasing blood sugar levels.

The Role of Fiber in Regulating Blood Sugar

Diet plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. Dietary fiber has been shown to have a significant impact on regulating blood sugar control by slowing down carbohydrate digestion and absorption, reducing postprandial (after meal) glucose peaks.

Sleep Quality: A Key Factor in Maintaining Healthy Blood Sugar Levels

Adequate sleep quality is essential for overall health, including maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. Research suggests that poor sleep can impair insulin sensitivity, leading to increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Blood Sugar Fluctuations During Pregnancy: Special Considerations

For pregnant women, managing blood sugar during pregnancy is crucial to ensuring a safe delivery and minimizing the risks associated with gestational diabetes. Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels involves understanding how diet, exercise, and stress management impact glucose regulation in this population.

Glycemic Index: A Guide for Managing Blood Sugar Through Diet

The glycemic index (GI) is a useful tool for managing blood sugar through dietary choices. The GI ranks foods based on their potential to raise blood glucose levels after consumption. Incorporating low-GI foods into our diet can help mitigate the impact of nighttime blood sugar spikes and promote overall healthy eating habits.

Common Mistakes: What People Do Wrong When Trying to Manage Blood Sugar

Finally, it's essential to recognize common mistakes people make when trying to manage their blood sugar levels. These include over-reliance on medication, poor dietary choices (e.g., consuming high-GI foods), inadequate physical activity, and neglecting stress management techniques.

🧠 Stay ahead with the latest in science, nutrition, and wellness by subscribing to Dr. Perlmutter’s newsletter at: www.drperlmutter.com. ✉️🌱 In this installment in The Empowering Neurologist Podcast we are thrilled to have a very special guest, and longtime friend, Dr. Casey Means, co-author of the groundbreaking book, Good Energy. Good Energy is not just a book; it's a movement. It invites us to reconsider our day-to-day choices and their profound impact on our body's energy systems. Dr. Means, a Stanford-trained physician, has beautifully woven her medical expertise with cutting-edge research to craft a guide that’s indispensable for anyone looking to enhance their physical and mental well-being through sustainable energy management. In this episode, Dr. Means shares insights into how our everyday habits—what we eat, how we sleep, and even how we think—can significantly influence our metabolic processes, mental clarity, and overall vitality. The book delves into the concept of mitochondrial health, a topic we frequently explore, explaining how these tiny powerhouses in our cells are not just biological entities, but pivotal in shaping our health destiny by influencing all manner of our physiology. Our conversation covers key themes from the book, including: The Role of Diet in Energy Production: How can the right foods transform your health by optimizing energy production at a cellular level? Mindfulness and Mental Energy: Exploring the link between mental practices like mindfulness and physical energy levels. Innovative Health Tracking: Dr. Means is a proponent of leveraging technology (like the continuous glucose monitor) to monitor health markers. We discuss how modern tools can help personalize our health strategies for better energy. Listeners will come away with practical advice on integrating the principles of Good Energy into their lives. Whether it’s tweaking your diet to include more mitochondria-boosting nutrients, or understanding the role of sleep in energy recovery, Dr. Means provides actionable tips that can be implemented right away. This episode is a must-watch for anyone interested in stepping up their energy game, enhancing cognitive function, and ultimately taking charge of their health in a holistic and informed manner. Dr. Means's approach simplifies complex scientific concepts into digestible, actionable information that can benefit a wide audience. If you want to try Levels today click this link for 2 months free on an annual membership: levels.link/perlmutter ==== 0:00 Intro 3:27 Where We’re Missing the Mark on Health 8:56 Correlation of Movement and Alzheimer’s 11:34 Learn How to Trust Yourself 18:04 Linking Metabolism & Health: How Levels Health Began 27:18 How to Interpret Levels Data to Optimize Your Wellbeing 31:34 American Children’s Health Crisis 35:56 Take Your Health Back 41:16 How This Information is Helping People 53:03 Conclusion ==== Casey Means, MD is the co-founder of Levels, a health technology company with the mission of reversing the world’s metabolic health crisis. She received her BA with honors and MD from Stanford, was President of her Stanford class, and has served on Stanford faculty. She trained in Head & Neck Surgery at Oregon Health and Science University before leaving traditional medicine to devote her life to tackling the root cause of why Americans are sick. She has been featured in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Women’s Health, and more. Calley Means is the co-founder of Truemed - a company that enables Americans to purchase healthy food and exercise tax-free. He is an advocate/whistleblower about the corruption of the food and pharma industries and need to change incentives - and appeared on over 100 major media outlets to advocate for change. Calley is a graduate of Stanford and Harvard Business School. Make sure to tune in and join us for this enlightening conversation. Your journey towards better health and Good Energy starts here! This episode will equip you with the knowledge and tools to make a profound impact on your health. ___________________________ Instagram: Website: Subscribe to our channel:
Simple Steps to Regain and Preserve Your Metabolic Health | Dr. Casey Means