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Blood sugar testing is an important part of diabetes care. Find out when to check blood sugar, how to use a blood sugar meter and more.

If you have diabetes, self-testing your blood sugar (blood glucose) can be an important tool in managing your diabetes and preventing complications. You can test your blood sugar at home also.

Blood sugar testing provides useful information for diabetes management. It can help you:

• Monitor the effect of diabetes medications on blood sugar levels
• Identify blood sugar levels that are high or low
• Track your progress in reaching your overall treatment goals
• Learn how diet and exercise affect blood sugar levels
• Understand how other factors, such as illness or stress, affect blood sugar levels

Your doctor will let you know how often to check glucose levels. The frequency of testing usually depends on the type of diabetes you have and your treatment plan.

COMMON TESTING TIMES

TYPE 1 DIABETES

Your doctor may recommend blood sugar testing four to 10 times a day if you have type 1 diabetes. You may need to test:

• Before meals and snacks
• Before and after exercise
• Before bed
• During the night (sometimes)
• More often if you're ill
• More often if you change your daily routine
• More often if you start a new medication
• TYPE 2 DIABETES