Time in Range for Diabetes Management

Have you ever wondered how well your blood sugar (glucose) stays within a healthy range throughout the day? Time in range (TIR) is a key metric that offers real-time insights into your glucose levels. If you have diabetes, understanding your TIR can help to improve overall health and well‑being.

Unlike A1C, which provides an average blood glucose over months, TIR reveals daily glucose fluctuations and the effects of food, activity, and medication. A higher TIR is linked to better diabetes outcomes, improved energy, and reduced complications.

Finding Your Time in Range Target

For most people with diabetes, the recommended time in range target is at least 70% TIR (70–180 mg/dL), meaning blood glucose stays within range for at least 17 hours per day. However, targets vary. For example:

• Older adults, people with hypoglycemia unawareness, or individuals at risk for complications may require a slightly higher lower limit

• Pregnant individuals may aim for at least 85% TIR (63–140 mg/dL) to support fetal development.

• For children, targets depend on age, activity, and hypoglycemia risk.

To know you're aiming for the right TIR target, it’s important to consider your individual health goals, type of diabetes, and any other medical conditions you may have.

You should work with your doctor to set your TIR target. They can help determine a safe and realistic range for your blood glucose levels.

How to Use Time in Range to Your Benefit

Tracking TIR is valuable for anyone managing diabetes, whether they use a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) or frequent finger sticks. Monitoring trends helps identify factors affecting your glucose levels, such as meals, stress, physical activity, or medication timing.

Your healthcare provider or diabetes educator can also help you understand those aspects that affect your TIR and how to improve it over time. Small adjustments like modifying carb intake, fine-tuning insulin doses, or planning exercise strategically can improve TIR.

For children using CGMs, TIR can be especially valuable in identifying nighttime lows or sugar spikes after meals. Also, if CGM data shows frequent lows after physical activity, it helps caregivers adjust snacks or insulin dosing beforehand to prevent hypoglycemia.

TIR makes diabetes management more personalized and effective, empowering you to make informed decisions for better glucose control and overall well‑being.

Even if you’re not meeting the standard target yet, remember that every 5% increase in TIR (about 1 extra hour per day in range) is linked to better health outcomes.

Small, steady progress can significantly impact long-term diabetes management.