To reduce the risk of exercise-related hypos:

❱ Monitor your BGLs before, during (for longer sessions) and after exercise and remember that the risk of hypos can be higher for many hours after you finish exercising.

If possible, avoid exercise late at night as this increases the risk of overnight hypos.

Increase carbohydrate intake prior to, during, and/or following exercise. The amount you need will depend on the duration and intensity of your exercise session and your BGLs before you start.

If you don’t want to eat more to exercise, particularly if one of your goals with exercise is to lose weight, you can instead reduce your insulin dose.

If you are on multiple daily injections and plan to exercise soon after a meal, you could reduce your rapid-acting insulin at that meal. Or if you plan to have an active day, you might reduce your morning longacting insulin in anticipation. If you exercise later in the day, reducing your evening longacting can help to reduce the risk of overnight hypos.

If you are on a pump, you can either turn off the pump or set a temporary reduced basal rate while you are exercising and possibly for some time before and after.

Avoid exercise at the time of peak insulin action (e.g. during the first few hours after taking rapid-acting insulin), or adjust your doses as above.

For some types of insulin, avoid injecting near muscles you plan to exercise soon after injecting – e.g. don’t inject into your thigh before going for a run. Consider the type and order of your exercise. ➤