I have always prioritised my health over everything because I truly believe in self-care. Only when I am fit and healthy, can I take good care of my family. I make sure that I go for regular health checkups and don’t neglect any discomfort I may be feeling health-wise. I also proactively speak to my doctor if I am under any medication.
Last year, when my sugar levels were high, my doctor asked me to monitor them regularly. I started using a Continuous Glucose Monitoring device to get real-time glucose readings. I was using Freestyle Libre which not only helped me keep track of my glucose readings but also gave me glucose trends which are very useful for people with diabetes. Recently, my doctor talked about a metric Time in Range that’s very helpful for understanding and managing glucose fluctuations.
What is ‘Time in Range’?
Time in Range is a measure of time a person spends within their target glucose range. The target glucose range is set with the help of your doctor and varies from person to person. FreeStyle Libre automatically calculates the percentage of time you spend in, above and below the target range.
Why is Time in Range important?
My doctor explained that more Time in Range means better glucose control. Increasing your TIR will have a direct impact on reducing your HbA1c.
our meals, activity levels and medication all have an impact on the glucose levels. So when you see that your glucose levels are out of range, that is either above or below the range, you can make modifications that day itself.
Furthermore, increasing time spent in the range has a positive impact on glucose management and lowers risks of related health issues. Every extra hour in range has a positive impact on your glucose control, and every 10% increase in TIR can lower A1c by ~0.8%. Moreover, spending more TIR can reduce long-term health complications. People with diabetes should target spending 70% of the time within the target range.
Accessing Time in Range data on my CGM device
As I mentioned before, I have been using Freestyle Libre, which is a sensor based CGM device. The sensor can be attached to the upper arm and a reader can scan it to get glucose readings. Along with my reading at that point in time, I also have access to trends and patterns and that includes Time in Range as a graph that can be easily read and understood.
As I regularly started looking at my glucose data trends and Time in Range report, I realised that I was spending varying amount of time in the target range. I started noticing how my exercise, food or medication were impacting my glucose readings and the time spent within the range the doctor had suggested. I started making modifications, so as to spend more Time in Range and to have better glucose management.
With the help of the data that CGM device gives, I now know what causes my glucose levels to spike and fall. Every extra hour in range has a positive impact on your glucose control. And because even a10% increase in TIR can lower A1c by ~0.8%, I am now much more mindful of the time I spend within the range my doctor specified and this helps in effective diabetes management. Honestly, I have never felt so confident about taking control of my health.
To know more about Continuous Glucose Monitoring, visit this website.
You can buy Freestyle Libre here.
The information mentioned in this document is only suggestive/for patient education and shall not be considered as a substitute for doctor’s advice or recommendations from Abbott. Please consult your doctor for more information
Any photos displayed are for illustrative purposes only. Any person depicted in such photos is a model.
