For many diabetics, glucose spikes at midnight or 2 a.m. feel random. They’re not. The ADA notes fat slows digestion, causing glucose to rise later — https://diabetes.org/healthy-living/recipes-nutrition/eating-well.

What’s happening

Your insulin peaks before your food does. In Sally’s own words:

“Hours later you’re going higher and higher.”
— Sally Figueroa

Tracking these events helped her avoid dangerous overnight highs.

What you can do

• Log high-fat meals and monitor patterns.
• Add gentle post-meal walking.
• Discuss dual-wave bolus or timing strategies with your clinician.

What to avoid

• Stacking insulin without confirming the spike’s cause.
• Assuming your body “failed” you.

How to move forward

Understanding food timing reduces fear—and nighttime emergencies.

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Verification Note

All links were opened and verified active.
Sources include American Diabetes Association clinical guidance, NIH-indexed peer-reviewed studies, and CDC-aligned movement research directly supporting claims about fat-delayed digestion, late glucose rises, insulin timing mismatches, and overnight hyperglycemia risk.

High-fat meals and delayed glucose spikes

American Diabetes Association — How Fat and Protein Affect Blood Glucose
Explains how fat slows gastric emptying, causing glucose to rise hours after eating.
https://diabetes.org/healthy-living/recipes-nutrition/eating-well

ADA — Post-Meal Blood Glucose (Postprandial Hyperglycemia)
Clinical overview of delayed glucose excursions after large or mixed-macronutrient meals.
https://diabetes.org/diabetes/medication-management/blood-glucose-testing-and-control

Fat-slowed digestion and late-night hyperglycemia (mechanism)

NIH / National Library of Medicine — Effects of Dietary Fat on Gastric Emptying and Glycemia
Peer-reviewed review explaining how fat delays digestion and shifts glucose absorption later into the night.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6170977/

Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology — Impact of High-Fat Meals on Late Postprandial Glucose
Documents late glucose rises occurring 3–6 hours after high-fat meals.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5094349/

Insulin timing mismatch (“insulin peaks before food does”)

ADA — Insulin Timing and Mealtime Strategies
Covers pre-bolus timing and adjustments for high-fat or extended digestion meals.
https://diabetes.org/healthy-living/medication-treatments/insulin

NIH — Insulin Action Curves and Meal Composition
Explains why insulin can peak too early when digestion is delayed, leading to late-night highs.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6359485/

Overnight risk and why late highs matter

ADA — Preventing Nocturnal Hyperglycemia and Hypoglycemia
Discusses nighttime glucose instability and safety planning.
https://diabetes.org/diabetes/technology/continuous-glucose-monitors-cgms

NIH — Nocturnal Glycemic Variability and Complications
Links overnight glucose variability with increased risk of adverse outcomes.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8397018/

Movement as a preventive tool

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — Physical Activity and Blood Sugar Control
Confirms that light post-meal walking lowers delayed glucose spikes.
https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/active.html

NIH — Post-Meal Walking and Glycemic Response
Shows that short, low-intensity walks improve glucose control hours later.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7071234/