Blood sugar level refers to the amount of glucose within your blood. Glucose is the main source of energy for the cells of our body, and it is controlled by the body to ensure that a normal blood sugar level is maintained. Both high and low levels of blood sugar can lead to complications, meaning that it is important to keep it at normal level.

Normal Blood Sugar Level Chart

Below is a chart detailing the average blood sugar level for different age groups, including pregnant women.

How to Check Your Blood Sugar Level

To know whether you have a normal blood sugar level, testing the glucose level within your blood is required. Some ways of testing this include:

1. Fingertip Blood Test

This involves pricking one's fingertip with a small, clean, sharp needle, or lancet. Collect a droplet of blood onto a test strip, then use a blood sugar meter to analyze the test strip and determine your blood sugar level. Blood sugar meters and test strips often give you results within fifteen seconds, and can be bought from a pharmacy.

2. Blood Tests from Other Sites

Some meters available are able to measure blood at other sites other than the fingertip, such as the thigh, forearm, upper arm, or lower thumb. The test results may differ from test results of blood taken from the fingertip. As changes in blood sugar levels become more apparent at the fingertips and quicker than in other testing areas, if possible, use a fingertip blood test, as this provides more accurate results.

3. Interstitial Glucose Measuring Device

Also known as a continuous glucose monitoring system, these devices work in combination with insulin pumps, measuring one's glucose levels and showing any continuous trends and/or patterns over time.

What If I Have Abnormal Test Results?   

If you have tested the glucose level in your blood and you realize that you do not have normal blood sugar level, then you blood sugar can be either too high or too low.

1. High Blood Sugar Level

If you have high blood sugar levels, then you may develop pre-diabetes, which can lead to an increased risk of suffering from diabetes.

Pre-diabetes is often identified via a fasting blood sugar level over 100-125 mg/dL. For those who have pre-diabetes, diabetes can be delayed or avoided by ensuring to eat healthily, exercise regularly, and maintain a healthy weight.Diabetes is indicated by a blood sugar level reading of 126 mg/dL when fasting, or 200 mg/dL any time throughout the day.

High blood sugar is commonly caused by the consumption of too many carbohydrates, as well as excessive amounts of stress. Symptoms pertaining to high blood sugar include unexpected weight loss, frequent urination, thirst, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, and blurred vision. If your blood sugar level is higher than normal, then be sure to speak with your doctor.

If you have high blood sugar, the video below may help you a lot.

2. Low Blood Sugar Level

Low levels of glucose within the blood may be an indication of hypoglycemia. Symptoms relating to hypoglycemia include fatigue, irritability, heart palpitations, shakiness, pale skin, tingling sensations around the area of the mouth, clumsiness, confusion, fainting, or even coma, seizures, or death in serious cases. This condition can appear suddenly, although it is usually easily treated by consuming foods rich in glucose. If left untreated, the condition may become severe, leading to some of the serious symptoms noted above. Hypoglycemia can be caused by a number of things, including some medications (such as diabetes treatment), certain diseases, deficiencies in enzymes or hormones, and/or tumors. 

If you have low blood sugar, the video below will be helpful.

Note

When testing your blood sugar levels, it is important not to get disheartened. Your results may cause feelings of confusions, frustration, anger, or sadness, but this should not be the case. This method of testing is applied only to ensure that you have normal blood sugar levels, not as a method of judgment upon yourself. Abnormal blood sugar levels should not make you feel bad, you should use them as inspiration to make positive changes.