
The body releases chemicals in response to stress that might increase blood sugar levels. Although they may be under control, diabetes patients may have undesirable symptoms as a result. When you’re stressed out or feel threatened, your body reacts. This refers to the fight-or-flight reflex.
During this reaction, your body releases cortisol and adrenaline into circulation, and your breathing rate increases. Blood glucose levels may rise if the body is unable to adequately metabolize it.
You might get physically and mentally fatigued from the continual stress brought on by long-term blood glucose problems. This could make managing your diabetes difficult. This article explores the relationship between stress and blood sugar levels.
What is stress?
Stress is the body’s and mind’s reactions to new or difficult situations. An obvious example would be worrying over a presentation you have to give the next day at work. Or showing up to a weekend party when you don’t know many people. A physical event like an accident or sickness might also be the cause.
Or, on a less urgent but persistent basis, you could worry about things like money, a relationship, or getting over the death of a loved one. Stress may have an impact on your physical, emotional, and mental health.
How are the two linked?
Various people have different reactions to stress. Depending on the type of stress you face, your body may respond differently to it.
When they are under emotional stress, people with type 2 diabetes frequently notice a spike in their blood glucose levels. Type 1 diabetics could behave differently. This suggests that their blood sugar levels might either increase or decrease.
Physical tension might cause your blood sugar to increase. This might happen due to a sickness or accident. This might affect diabetics with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Can diabetes cause stress?
Diabetes frequently causes stress, especially in the initial phases after diagnosis. It could be difficult to pay strict attention to your diet when learning and remembering a lot of new stuff. You might need to regularly check your blood sugar levels or provide yourself with injections as a result. To worry about the result or endure needle phobia might be pretty uncomfortable.
The possibility of hypos, or periods of dangerously low blood sugar, worries some diabetics. It might be challenging to deal with them when they do happen while wondering when they could happen. These feelings, which are also known as hypo anxiety, can be controlled by certain actions.
Some people who have diabetes could have brief bouts of feeling overwhelmed by it as well as irritation and worry as a result of having it. Others feel bad if their diabetes treatment plan deviates from the plan because they dread developing issues. You could feel this overpowering feeling, even more, when you’re under a lot of stress and it becomes too much to manage your diabetes on top of everything else.