Eating bedtime snacks for Gestational Diabetes might seem counterintuitive when the goal is to lower and stabilize blood sugar levels.

However, experimenting with including a snack at bedtime may just be the strategy that helps with stable blood sugar levels, especially in the morning.

So, let’s take a look at why you’d want to eat a snack before bed when you have gestational diabetes, the other benefits of bedtime snacking, what you want to consider when building a blood sugar balancing snack and of course, we wouldn’t leave you without some snack ideas!

Why eat a snack before bed when you have gestational diabetes

Our blood sugar levels naturally fluctuate throughout the day and overnight.

In diabetes and gestational diabetes alike, it is well-known that some people wake up with higher fasting blood sugar levels. This is thought to occur for a few reasons:

The hormones that are released to help wake us up can also cause blood sugar levels to surge
Unstable blood sugars overnight stimulate the liver to release glucose in an attempt to restabilize them (this is called homeostasis)
Not having enough medication or insulin to cover your evening meal
Stress
Blood glucose levels that are depleted due to not getting enough to eat earlier in the day. The liver will release its store of glucose to counteract this and it can also create new glucose by breaking down fat and protein (this is a process you might have heard of called gluconeogenesis)

Adding a balanced snack that contains some protein to your evening routine (especially if you eat dinner earlier in the evening), can help to keep blood sugars more stable over the evening. This also shortens the number of hours spent fasting overnight helping your liver not feel like it has to jump into fix-it mode!

The ripple effect of all of this is that for some people, that bedtime snack may help with a reduction in their morning blood sugar readings.

Other benefits of bedtime snacks for gestational diabetes

It’s not just the potential for lower fasting blood sugar readings in the morning that you might want to consider adding a bedtime snack. A snack in the evening:

Helps support your nutritional needs in pregnancy

Generally, the more frequently we eat, the better chance we have of consuming more nutrients such as fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals.

This is particularly important for women who eat plant-based diets, as snacks provide an easier way for getting in enough protein over the course of the day, rather than having to eat very large volumes of food at main meals, which can be especially tricky during pregnancy.

A bedtime snack also provides an extra opportunity for nourishment if you have been experiencing vomiting or hyperemesis.

May help relieve digestive discomfort

If you, like many pregnant women, are experiencing one of the myriad of uncomfortable digestive issues that come along during pregnancy, having a snack before bed may help to relieve or settle your symptoms.

Nausea, heartburn, early satiety, constipation, and even food aversions can be all helped by eating smaller meals, more often.

Timing of bedtime snacks

There is no one ‘right’ time to eat your evening snack. Play around with the timing that works best for you, if you can tolerate eating about an hour before bedtime then this would be an ideal time to eat your snack to potentially experience those benefits mentioned earlier.

If heartburn is a barrier, you might try a dairy-based snack such as greek yogurt or a glass of milk. If your symptoms are particularly challenging, a snack before bed may not be a great option for you. You don’t have to force it.

If you already eat dinner closer to bed (within 2-3 hours of going to sleep), then adding a snack wouldn’t be necessary.

Of course this is a guide only and monitoring your blood glucose levels in the morning along with chatting to a Dietitian will help to fine tune your snack timing.

What to consider when choosing a bedtime snack

When choosing a bedtime snack–there are a few things to remember:

You’re aiming to choose a snack that is substantial enough to keep you satisfied
Include some protein and/or fat in your snack. Both macronutrients slow down our digestion which not only helps keep us satisfied but can also support more even blood sugar levels by reducing the speed that glucose is released into our bloodstream and blunting the blood glucose “spike”.
It is OK to eat a carbohydrate-containing snack. Choose complex carbohydrates like whole-grain crackers and whole-wheat toast (paired with protein and fat) so that you’re getting the slow digesting and slower blood glucose rising benefit of the fiber the complex carbs contain.

Bedtime snack ideas for gestational diabetes

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Full fat or 2% greek yogurt (plain or lower sugar) with a sprinkle of chia seed and granola with a few berries
Drinkable yogurt (such as Siggis) with a handful of nuts or seeds
Nut butter with whole-grain crackers
Cheese and sliced apple
Avocado toast

Final tips and words of support

Finding the timing and types of snacks that work best for you will take some experimenting. Try several different types of snacks and combinations before you decide if adding a snack is helpful to your morning blood sugar.

Also know that regardless of what your blood sugar readings look like in the morning, you are worthy of a snack in the evening if your body is asking for it. Remember, snacking is a fantastic opportunity to get in loads of extra nutrients to support you and your growing baby.

And finally, if you’re noticing you’re always hungry and feeling like you’re not getting enough, or feeling like your meals and snacks are leaving you unsatisfied - talk about it! No matter the circumstances, you shouldn’t feel restricted with your eating.

For more support navigating gestational diabetes, you may like to check out our course we designed especially for you. Eat for Two with Gestational Diabetes is a go-at-your-own-pace nutrition course all about eating well, balancing your blood sugar, and supporting your changing body.