How to Measure Blood Sugar

Anyone at any age can develop diabetes type 1 or type 2, the only exception being gestational diabetes, which occurs only in pregnant women. No matter which type of diabetes you have, keeping an eye on your blood sugar levels is a must. Measuring your blood sugar is not hard, although at times it can sting and is a process that must be learned in order to maintain good blood sugar levels.

Things You'll Need

• Glucose meter Finger lancets Lancing device Test strips Alcohol pads

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Instructions

• 1

  Eat a meal. Most at-home glucose tests are done 2 hours after a meal. This helps to identify which foods or drinks may cause your blood sugar to spike. You can then eliminate those foods or substitute them with foods that are better for your body, sugar-wise. Most people also test after fasting, right after waking up in the morning and before they eat.

• 2

  Get out your monitor. If you have a brand new monitor make sure to read the instructions thoroughly. Turn it on to make sure that the batteries are working.

• 3

  Take a new sterile lancet and push it into the spot made for lancets in the lancet device. Some devices have two settings so you can choose how deeply to prick your finger. This is because some people's fingers are tougher than others and require a little harder push when pricking their skin. It is advised to always use a new lancet when measuring your blood sugar. When used repeatedly, the lancet becomes dull and can cause unneeded pain when sticking yourself.

• 4

  Clean your finger with alcohol. Pick which finger you are going to stick and wipe it off with a new alcohol pad. Sterilizing keeps the chance of infection down. You can also use a cotton ball or a piece of toilet paper and some alcohol from a bottle.

• 5

  Stick your finger with the readied lancet device. A drop of blood should immediately come to the surface. If it doesn't, hang your hand down and squeeze your finger from the base to the tip until more blood comes out. Smear some of the blood on a new test strip.

• 6

  Insert the test strip in the glucose monitor. The time it takes to determine your blood sugar measurement differs by glucose monitor. Wait until it shows the number of your blood sugar measurement.