Diabetes and the Time Change

Make sure you set your clocks back one hour on November 2, 2008 at 2 a.m.!

With the clocks either springing ahead or falling behind an hour, people with diabetes need to make sure they integrate the time change into their daily management. Here’s a checklist for the changing times:

• If you are pumping, make sure you change the time on your pump.
  
  
• Be sure to update the time on your glucose meter.
  
  
• If you use a constant glucose monitoring system, make sure you change the time on that device.
  
  
• Make sure you closely monitor your blood sugars to detect any highs or lows due to the time change.
  
  
• It’s a good time to check your supplies. Do you need to update any prescriptions? Do you need to restock your supply of batteries? Do you have an emergency stash of snacks to treat low blood sugars?

The time change can sometimes impact your diabetes management. The best prevention is to be prepared. Take control of your diabetes!

Reviewed by Francine Kaufman, MD. 4/08