# Ep 158 - Fasting Glucose Rising? It's Not What You Think

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/type-1-in-midlife-perimenopause-menopause-type-1-diabetes-6369803/ep-158-fasting-glucose-rising-it-s-not-what-you-think
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/type-1-in-midlife-perimenopause-menopause-type-1-diabetes-6369803/ep-158-fasting-glucose-rising-it-s-not-what-you-think.md
Podcast: [Type 1 In Midlife: Perimenopause, Menopause & Type 1 Diabetes](https://stenobird.com/podcast/type-1-in-midlife-perimenopause-menopause-type-1-diabetes-6369803)
Published: 2026-05-18T11:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://8a3e4cb9-6bb5-419e-af59-a9022a4482b0.libsyn.com/ep-158-fasting-glucose-rising-its-not-what-you-think
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/8a3e4cb9-6bb5-419e-af59-a9022a4482b0/T1IM_158_-_Melissa_Slemp_solo.mp3?dest-id=4006335
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Duration seconds: 1164

## Resource

If your morning number has started creeping up—even though you haven't changed anything—you are not imagining it. This is one of the most common patterns I see in women with type 1 diabetes moving through their 40s and beyond. And it's not about doing more or trying harder. It's physiology. In this episode, I'm breaking down why fasting blood sugar is often the first place midlife hormone shifts show up —and what's actually happening overnight in your body. Because when you understand the "why," you can respond with clarity instead of frustration. What You'll Learn: How declining estrogen impacts insulin sensitivity overnight Why cortisol rises earlier and stronger in midlife How the dawn phenomenon becomes more pronounced The role of progesterone shifts in blood sugar variability Why muscle loss affects overnight glucose regulation How sleep disruption directly raises fasting blood sugar Why This Matters Morning blood sugar is often the first signal that something is shifting hormonally. And too often, women blame themselves. But this isn't failure, it's your body asking for a different approach. What You Can Start Doing: Build and protect muscle with strength training Prioritize protein at dinner to support overnight stability Improve sleep quality to lower cortisol response Evaluate basal insulin needs (this often changes in midlife) Track patterns across your cycle or symptom shifts A Personal Note After 40+ years of living with type 1 diabetes, I've seen how quickly things can change in this season. What used to work… stops working, and that can feel discouraging. But it's also where deeper understanding begins. Resources + Next Steps My upcoming book, Highs, Lows & Hormones , goes deeper into this—helping you understand how your cycle, hormones, sleep, and insuli…

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