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“Every Day a Million Miracles began at Sun Rise”

The Dawn Phenomenon-is one among many of the biological miracles which occur each morning as we awaken prior to or at sunrise.  The Dawn Phenomenon is a natural occurring process involving the bodies timely release of glucose (fuel) into the blood stream to provide us with enough energy to rise out of our beds to begin each new day.

Specifically, as we are sleeping subconsciously during the early dawn hours between 2:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. the body starts releasing what is called counter-regulatory hormones/stress hormones i.e. cortisol, glucagon and epinephrine. Once released, these hormones have a direct impact on the liver and causes it to release Glucose-fuel into the blood stream.  As previously explained Glucose is fuel to the body as gasoline is fuel for a car, without it neither will get very far.

Perhaps this phenomenon can be better explained as the Flight or Fight response.  This response occurs when we are stressed or frightened.  For example, two years ago while traveling to work on a cold Michigan December, I hit a patch of “black Ice” I lost control of my car, struggled with the wheel to gain control but ended up crashing into the wall turning into the opposite direction of which I was traveling.  My body immediately shifted into the “Flight or Fight” mode automatically releasing the stress hormones cortisol, and epinephrine into my blood stream to reach my liver, once there, the liver released extra Glucose into my blood stream providing me with enough energy and strength to fight for control.  Some people have referred to it as a “Rush” when placed in a dangerous or frighten situation, its nature’s way of providing you with extra energy in the form of Glucose to either stay and Fight or Flight (RUN) from the situation.

This is the Dawn Phenomenon, understanding you are in an extreme relaxed situation waking up not at all in a stressed or frighten situation in the mornings, however, in a mode where nature knows you need an extra spark of energy to get you out of the bed and moving to start your day.

This may explain why some Diabetics are waking up with an elevated “Fasting Glucose” Level.  It may not have anything to do with what you have eaten, or your exercise routine it’s just nature’s way your biological clock.  If you are experiencing elevated glucose in the mornings please let you doctor know because with the development of new pharmacologic and technical treatments it can be controlled. Also of note, this is the main reason why diabetics are cautioned to avoid stress due to the flight or fight response which always results in elevated blood Glucose levels.

We all wake up each morning with the Dawn Phenomenon as a matter of fact: “Every Day a Million Miracles began at Sun Rise”.