Did you know stress and diabetes are also linked? Stress, whether mental or physical, can affect your blood sugar, especially if you have diabetes.

Stress can both affect and be a consequence of diabetes. Many studies have linked long-term high stress with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Also, being diagnosed with diabetes and having a daily blood sugar control plan is also important. stress on the patient.

The Link Between Stress and Diabetes

Controlling and managing diabetes is a long, lifelong process. This can add extra pressure and stress to your daily life. However, stress is also a major barrier to effective blood sugar control.

Hormones released by the body during stress can have a direct effect on blood glucose levels. If you feel stressed or threatened, your body will have a “fight or flight” response. This response increases hormone levels and makes nerve cells more active.

Your body also releases adrenaline and cortisol into your bloodstream, causing your breathing rate to increase. Blood is sent to the muscles and from the extremities, ready to deal with the impending situation. At this time, the body is not able to convert glucose (produced by highly active nerve cells) in the blood into energy if you have diabetes. As a result, the blood sugar level will increase significantly.

The constant stress of long-term blood sugar-related problems can also take a toll on your mind and body. As a result, diabetes management is difficult.

How Does Stress Affect Diabetes and the Body?

Stress can have different effects on different people.

People with type 2 diabetes when experiencing emotional stress, blood sugar levels often rise higher. However, people with type 1 diabetes have a more varied response to stress. That is, their blood sugar levels may go high or low.

When the body has a problem that causes physical stress, such as illness or injury, blood sugar can rise.

In addition, prolonged stress also has negative effects on other systems in the body:

• Immune system
• Digestive
• excretory system (kidney)
• Reproductive system

Furthermore, your ability to think clearly and make the right decisions is reduced when your mind is filled with feelings of anxiety, sadness, and fear. Prolonged emotional stress can increase your risk of developing depression.

Is Stress Affecting Your Blood Sugar Levels?

First, you need to identify a time when you felt mentally stressed. Keep a record of your feelings and activities at different times of the day.

For example, if you are usually under a lot of pressure on Monday mornings, rate your stress on a scale of 1 to 10. 10 represents the highest stress. Rewrite this number.

Next, measure your blood sugar and record your blood sugar levels at times of stress. Repeat this several times afterward. If you notice that your blood sugar levels are often higher than normal during times of stress, it means that the condition is having a negative effect on your diabetes.

Common Symptoms of Stress

Sometimes the signs of stress are difficult to recognize, but they can affect mental, emotional, and even physical health . Recognizing the symptoms will help you better manage stress.

When you’re stressed, you may have signs and symptoms like:

• Headache
• Muscle pain or tension
• Oversleeping or insomnia
• Feeling sick
• Tired

You may also feel the following:

• Loss of motivation
• Feeling grumpy
• Depression, sadness
• Jitter
• Worry

Stress can sometimes affect behavior; you may not feel like your usual self. Signs can be the following:

• You do not participate in activities with friends and family
• Eating more than usual or loss of appetite
• Action when angry
• Drink a lot of wine and beer
• Smoke

Take Care of Stress

Most people experience these symptoms at different times in their lives. Fortunately, there are many ways to reduce stress that you can try. Most methods for dealing with stress usually begin with advice to live mentally.

Managing stress is essential for effective diabetes control. Mental well-being helps prevent stress and keep your diabetes in check.

Learn more about Diabetes here.