If you want a blood sugar log you can print, write four things beside every reading: the time, when you tested compared with meals and medicines, what you ate and drank, and any symptoms or activity around that moment. Keep the log over several days rather than one reading, and ask your care team how much they want to see.
What timing should I write next to each reading?
OneTouch’s logbook page explains that structured monitoring means checking at scheduled times, and it lists five timing labels with what each one can help show. Put one of these labels beside every number.
| Timing | What OneTouch’s logbook page says it can show |
|---|---|
| Fasting | The effect of a bedtime snack from the previous evening |
| Before meal | Events between meals, such as exercise, stress or snacks |
| After meal | The impact of the carbohydrates in that specific meal |
| Bedtime | The impact of carbohydrates at dinner or an evening snack |
| During night | The impact of a bedtime snack |
Diabetes UK’s free blood glucose diary suggests testing before and after meals, either one or two hours after eating, so you can see how your body handles different meals. It also advises testing at different times of the day.
What medicines should I record in my blood sugar log?
Write the name of each medicine and the time you took it in the notes area of the sheet. Diabetes UK recommends using the top notes section to record the medication you are taking. Supplements belong on the list too. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements chromium fact sheet advises telling your doctor and pharmacist about any dietary supplements and over-the-counter medicines you take, and the NCCIH fact sheet on diabetes and dietary supplements says people who take diabetes drugs should tell their providers about herbal supplements. Changes to any medicine are your clinician’s decision, so bring the record to the appointment rather than adjusting anything on your own.
What meals should I note?
Write down what you ate and drank, and when, next to each reading. Diabetes UK suggests noting which meals make your blood sugar harder to manage, and any time a meal was delayed or missed. The Michigan Collaborative for Type 2 Diabetes describes its free daily and weekly food log as a way to record food intake and blood sugar levels, and says sharing these logs with your healthcare provider will help support your type 2 management plan.
What symptoms and activity should I record?
Write symptoms down the moment you notice them. The NIDDK page on low blood glucose says symptoms tend to come on quickly and vary from person to person. Its list includes feeling shaky or jittery, hungry, tired, dizzy, lightheaded, confused or irritable, a heartbeat that is too fast or not steady, a headache, and trouble seeing or speaking clearly. The same page lists night symptoms to watch for: crying out or having nightmares, sweating enough to make pajamas or sheets damp, and feeling tired, irritable or confused after waking.
For many people with diabetes, a reading lower than 70 mg/dL counts as low. The NIDDK adds that your number might be different, so check with your doctor or health care team about yours. If you want the bigger picture of low readings, the low blood sugar symptoms and treatment guide walks through it.
| Event | What to write, and why it matters |
|---|---|
| Physical activity | The NIDDK says increased activity can lower blood glucose for up to 24 hours after the activity, so note the time and length. |
| Illness | The NIDDK says being sick can lower blood glucose, because you may not be able to eat as much. |
| Alcohol | The NIDDK says alcohol without enough food makes it harder for your body to keep blood glucose steady. |
| Stress | Diabetes UK says to record periods of stress during the day, since stress can affect your readings. |
| Missed or delayed meals | Diabetes UK says to note any meal that was delayed or skipped. |
How much log data is useful at a visit?
The NIDDK’s A1C test page explains that the A1C test reflects average blood glucose over the past three months, but it doesn’t show sudden, temporary increases or decreases. That is the gap your log fills. Diabetes UK says a monthly diary is good for spotting trends in your numbers, and it can help people who test on a more occasional basis.
How often you should test depends on your type of diabetes, your medicines and your goals. OneTouch notes that your doctor may have recommended a schedule. There is no single number of days that suits everyone, so ask your care team which schedule they want to see and bring that much data. You can read more about how often to check blood sugar before you ask.
Where can I get a free printable blood sugar log?
Diabetes UK offers free blood glucose monitoring diaries in PDF or Excel format. Its monthly diary is for spotting trends, and its weekly diaries come with or without a space for dosage information.
| Free sheet | Format | What it is set up for |
|---|---|---|
| Diabetes UK monthly diary | PDF or Excel | Spotting trends, and testing on a more occasional basis |
| Diabetes UK weekly diary, with dosage | PDF or Excel | Meals, notes and dosage information |
| Diabetes UK weekly diary, without dosage | PDF or Excel | Meals and notes, when medication does not change daily |
| MCT2D Daily Food Log Tracker | Daily and weekly | Food intake and blood sugar levels |
No Spanish-language blood sugar log is cited on this page, so if you need one in Spanish, ask your clinic or pharmacist for a copy. If you need larger type, set your printer to enlarge the page, or ask your clinic for a large-print sheet.
For a layout, most logs use the same columns: date and time, timing label, reading, medicines with times, food and drink, activity, illness or stress, and symptoms.
What can a blood sugar log not tell me?
A log organizes your numbers. It does not diagnose anything and it does not set treatment. OneTouch says treatment decisions should be based on the current numerical reading and your healthcare professional’s recommendations. The NCCIH fact sheet says it is very important not to replace medical treatment for diabetes with an unproven health product or practice.
When should I bring my log to a clinician sooner?
If your log shows repeated low readings or the symptoms above, bring it to your clinician soon. The NIDDK notes that repeated episodes of low blood glucose can lead to hypoglycemia unawareness, a condition in which you don’t notice symptoms until your level has dropped very low. The NIDDK also says severely low blood glucose is dangerous and needs to be treated right away, and losing consciousness or having a seizure are signs of very low levels that need emergency help. For the high side, the high blood sugar symptoms guide explains which signs need urgent attention. If you have risk factors for prediabetes, the CDC’s prediabetes page advises talking to your doctor about getting your blood sugar tested.
Before your visit
- Ask your team which testing schedule and how many days they want to see.
- Ask whether they prefer the paper sheet or an export from a meter app.
- Write down every supplement and over-the-counter medicine you take.
- Write your questions about any change to your medicines, so you can ask them directly.
Your next step is small: this week, print one weekly sheet and fill in the timing, meals, medicines and symptoms for the next seven days. Bring it to your visit and start with a plain question, such as “Here is my log, can we go over any low readings first?”
By the Primary Care Visit Guide Team
This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult your doctor or qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your health routine.
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