(HealthDay News) -- People with diabetes need to test their blood sugar levels frequently to be sure they are maintaining healthy levels and are not at risk of either hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia.

You should talk to your doctor about the schedule that is best for you, but here are some guidelines from the American Academy of Family Physicians as to how often diabetics should check their blood sugar:

• Type 1 diabetics who take insulin should test three or four times a day.
• Type 2 diabetics who take both insulin and anti-diabetic pills should test three or four times a day.
• Diabetics taking anti-diabetic pills who do not have their targeted A1c score should test between two and four times a day.