Sarah Howard
Sarah Howard (nee Tackett) has dedicated her career to supporting the T1D community ever since she was diagnosed with T1D while in college in May 2013. Since then, she has worked for various diabetes organizations, focusing on research, advocacy, and community-building efforts for people with T1D and their loved ones. Sarah is currently the Senior Marketing Manager at T1D Exchange.
Sarah and her husband live in NYC with their cat Gracie. In her spare time, she enjoys doing comedy, taking dance classes, visiting art museums, and exploring different neighborhoods in NYC.
Back in the days when I was snow skiing, which uses gazillions of calories per hour, the BG patterns had to be re-managed. But at an older age now, nah, not much difference. ≧◠‿◠≦✌
More hours of daylight = summer when I am biking and playing tennis. Less hours of daylight = winter when I am hibernating except for the occasional foray out for food. So yes there is a noticeable difference in blood sugar and insulin use patterns.
I answered slight difference because I am not exercising like I did in the summertime and could walk until 9:30pm. I am one who would not vote for daylight savings time because the change of the clocks brings change in the bio rhythms.
I think the difference comes from activity level as well. I tend to get sleepy soon after it gets dark. That means in the winter, I am not very active after dinner. I think that causes some night time high levels.
I get crushed by daylight changes as well as impending precipitation or large weather changes. Uber low as weather approaches, followed by highs once it because raining/snowing.
Yes, there is a difference for me. I have to make a conscious effort to get exercise over winter when I’m cooped up inside most of the time.
Everything effects me, temperature, driving in the rain (severe drops), time change…
I’m not really sure. I am making an effort to control my blood sugar levels by adjusting diet and exercising through out the day. While it is true that I am slightly less active during the winter months, I have alternate ways of exercising like riding a bike on on stand in my basement, using resistance bands, walking the stairs. I want to get back to taking exercise classes at the Y but will wait for safer times. I wanted to make a presentation on diabetes at a Lions Winter retreat but I just cancelled- just to risky right now even with the lodge and participants taking precautions.
I’ve always had no blood sugar pattern any time of the year! for 66 years!!! Actually, right now, I’m running very high bgs and I have no idea why! I’ve been quarantined for 10 months and live in a rest home. Meals are served by staff in our rooms, I choose my food and amounts, so I can’t blame the high bgs on that. Since the high bgs have happened only this last week, (my test for covid-19 was negative) I think my body’s metabolism is screwing up the works!!!
My blood sugars change periodically, usually with the seasons. Normally, I have to increase my insulin in the winter time. When I notice a pattern change in my blood sugars, I adjust my basals or boluses. It’s an art.
My blood glucose patterns are highly dependent on physical activity level so shoveling snow affects insulin demand and calculations regardless of whether it’s midday in bright sun or before dawn in the dark.
More insulin resistant in the winter- not sure if it’s related more to the weather or daylight
Yea! Mine are much better this time of year. My body is intolerant of temps above 70 degrees, so I end to hibernate during summer. Right now I’m out enjoying my walks with my dogs. Just need some snow here!
I always have to change my basils after daylight savings time is over. I am active most days during the summer, swimming in the pool, going to the beach, horseback riding, gardening, walking, as soon as it starts getting dark early that all stops and its time to up the basil … being LADA, exercise makes a huge difference in how much insulin I need. If I work in the yard all day raking leaves or am active I can usually get by with just my basil for the day and not even have to bolus for food, and I can eat anything!!! Love it!!
I am more active for longer periods in the warmer months when daylight is the majority of a 24 hour time span. During the winter months my energy seems to dwindle when the sun goes down. I dislike daylight savings time. IMHO it is a waste of energy that really does not serve the greater good of the majority. It is inconvenient and wreaks havoc on the sleep schedules of people who work overnight shifts in healthcare and other businesses whose employees work from 11 pm to 7 am or 12 m to 8 am.
My CGM reports do not show any different seasonal trends and I do not notice any myself. I am not fond of the sun and tend to stay indoors if it is above room temperature outside as my body’s thermostat doesn’t seem to work well, probably due to my thyroid issues.
With me, it happens, and I am 100% sure that it does, because I eat the same breakfast and lunch every day of the year. But the blood sugar rise when there is less sun has nothing to do with daylight. It is entirely correlated with how warm or cold I am. When we have a cold day in October, I need more insulin. If we have a warm day in December, I need less. And if I visit someone who keeps their thermostat high in winter, I need far less insulin than I would at home. Someone needs to consider all factors, not just the number of daylight hours. Some people keep their home or work a constant 75 degrees year ’round, so they would not have the increased or decreased insulin requirement that I do.
My BS reads in the last three months have become very erratic mainly going very high after breakfast in which carbs total is nearly always the same & I always take the same amount of Act Rapid. About 1.5-2hrs later my BGS jumps to 14-18mmols & I have to take more units of short acting along with jumping on to the Treadmill for 20 mins or so, if the weather is dry or good outsise in the garden where I would go & cut some firewood from the overgrown trees there, I did that same thing in the Summer but not as much, because we were preparing for the sale of the house which is happening right now. My diabetes Consultant would not allow me to increase the morning insulsin but I have to make the corrections anyway as I have been doing for the last thirty of the fifty years I have been a person with diabetes.
During DST, I tend to be outside working in the yard and enjoying the outdoors until dark. Standard time, it’s cold and dark early, so not out or active as much. I live in Florida and Houston areas.
It is a function of the time I can spend outside working on the house and yard.
I do gardening and am less active with less daylight.