If you use a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM), one of the most important numbers you'll look at is your Time in Range (TIR). Simply put, Time in Range is the percentage of the day your blood sugar stays within your healthy target zone — usually between 70 and 180 mg/dL.
Think of it like a daily report card for your glucose. Instead of just getting a single snapshot, you get a continuous, real-time picture of how your body responds to food, exercise, and medication.
What Are the Daily Goals?
For most people managing diabetes, the goal is to keep blood sugar in the "sweet spot" for most of the day. Here is a quick breakdown of what to aim for:
📝 Note: Goals can vary based on life stage. Older adults may aim for 50% Time in Range, while pregnant women often need a tighter target zone of 63–140 mg/dL.
Why Monitoring Your Glucose Matters
You may be familiar with the A1C test, which gives an average of your blood sugar over three months. While A1C is important, it doesn't tell you when your highs and lows are happening. Tracking your Time in Range with a CGM offers life-changing benefits:
Real-Time Answers
Instantly see how a specific meal, a stressful day, or a workout impacts your blood sugar in real time.
Fewer Surprises
A CGM clearly shows when your blood sugar is spiking or crashing so you can catch it early — before symptoms hit.
Better Long-Term Health
More time in range directly reduces your risk of developing long-term diabetes complications, including neuropathy and eye disease.
Actionable Adjustments
Empowers you and Dr. Jaffer to make confident, data-driven tweaks to your diet, routine, or medications.
Let Your Tech Do the Math
The best part? You don't have to calculate any of this yourself. Most modern CGM systems automatically track your data and give you a simple daily report. All you have to do is check your phone or receiver to see how much time you are spending in your healthy zone!
Dr. Jaffer is experienced with all leading CGM platforms and will help you interpret your data and make meaningful changes to your care plan:
Dexcom
The Dexcom G7 provides real-time glucose readings every 5 minutes directly to your smartphone, with customizable alerts for highs and lows.
FreeStyle Libre
Abbott's FreeStyle Libre 3 offers continuous, factory-calibrated readings with a tiny, discreet sensor worn on the back of the upper arm.
Medtronic
Medtronic CGM systems integrate seamlessly with insulin pumps for a closed-loop automated insulin delivery experience.
💡 Did you know? Research shows that for every 10% increase in Time in Range, patients experience a significant reduction in the risk of diabetic complications. Small improvements make a big difference.
