Don’t Sleep on Compression Lows: 3 Facts You Need to Know
Picture this: it’s 3 AM, and you’ve just woken up to a low blood sugar alert. You don’t have low symptoms, but figure that your continuous glucose monitor (CGM) is probably correct as usual, so you head to the kitchen for a snack. Eventually your blood sugar goes back up and you’re able to fall back to sleep quickly. The only problem is that your blood sugar is high in the morning, which seems odd since you didn’t eat more than necessary.
Have you experienced a situation like this? Being woken up to treat high or low blood sugar can be annoying—there’s no doubt. But it turns out that your CGM can say you’re low not because your blood sugar is actually low, but because of the way you were laying on your CGM. Welcome to the world of compression lows!
What are compression lows?
Also known as “pressure lows,” these false alerts happen when there is pressure on your CGM, which can easily happen when you lay down on the side where it’s located. Let’s say you’re sitting down watching a movie—compression lows can happen then too if there’s pressure on your CGM.
CGMs use interstitial fluid to read blood sugar. When there’s pressure, the amount of fluid around the device decreases, which means it detects less glucose, leading to a low reading.
How to handle a compression low
One of the possible signs of a pressure low is a rapid, large drop in blood sugar on your graph. If you normally have symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) but don’t notice them, that could also indicate a false low.
It’s a good idea to check your blood sugar with a meter if you suspect an error in your CGM reading. You should also give your CGM some time to adjust if it was a false low alert.
Ways to prevent pressure lows from happening
When it comes to preventing false lows, it’s all about thinking ahead.
When you insert your CGM, consider putting it in an area that won’t be affected by the way you sleep (depending on manufacturer’s instructions). And if you know that you’ll be sitting in the same position for an extended amount of time, try to avoid putting pressure on it.
Overall, compression lows are an inconvenience, even though CGMs are much more advanced and beneficial than pricking your finger and using a meter to check your blood sugar. Being aware of the possibility of false lows is key, and taking the right steps to verify them is important to avoid unnecessary high blood sugar after treating the “low.”
There’s no doubt that diabetes management is full of ups and downs. Continue doing your best and remember that you’ve got this!
