Understanding hypoglycemia
What is hypoglycemia?
A “low,” also called hypoglycemia, happens when your glucose levels drop below your target range—usually below 70 mg/dL. At that point, your body doesn’t have enough glucose for energy.
If your levels dip below 54 mg/dL, it can become dangerous. Everyone’s body reacts differently, so speak to your healthcare professional for questions about your healthy range55.
When a low is happening, you might experience a sudden wave of shakiness, a feeling that something’s off15, or wake up to a low glucose alarm from your phone.
What causes hypoglycemia?
Causes of nighttime dips75.
- Skipped meals
- Exercise before bedtime
- Alcohol before bedtime
- Infections
What are the symptoms of hypoglycemia?
If your glucose is dropping, you might feel these early signs15.
- Sweating, chills, or clamminess
- Irritability or confusion
- Hunger or nausea
- Feeling sleepy, weak, or losing energy
- Tingling or numbness in the lips, tongue, or cheeks
- Shakiness or dizziness
Not everyone feels their lows the same way. Over time, you’ll learn how your own body signals a dip, and your FreeStyle Libre system helps you see those changes, even when you don’t feel them right away.
Low alarms help you act.
If your glucose drops unexpectedly, FreeStyle Libre system optional alarms18 will notify you the moment it happens.
An alarm will appear on your phone’s or reader’s screen, displaying your current reading and a trend arrow indicating where your glucose is headed.
Quick tip: Set your optional alarms 18.
