Stress is a regular part of life, but it can take a toll on the mind and body. Stress impacts your mood, physical activity, and even your blood sugar levels, which can further complicate life with diabetes. However, it can be nearly impossible to live a completely stress-free life, which is why it's important to learn healthy ways to help reduce triggers and take care of your mental health. Here, we'll provide more information on how stress affects blood sugar and how to deal with stress as part of a holistic diabetes care plan.
In this article, you’ll learn:
- How stress affects diabetes by raising blood sugar through hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.
- Why chronic stress is harmful and can increase insulin resistance, complicating blood sugar management.
- How to recognize personal stress triggers, including work, family, finances, health concerns, lifestyle disruptions, and diabetes burnout.
- Common signs of stress, such as headaches, fatigue, irritability, sleep issues, changes in appetite, and unusual glucose patterns.
- Healthy strategies to manage stress, including balanced nutrition, mindfulness, regular exercise, yoga, and reducing caffeine and alcohol.
- The importance of routines and sleep in supporting consistent blood sugar levels and lowering stress.
- How social support helps through family, friends, or diabetes support groups to reduce stress and improve well-being.
- Ways to address diabetes distress and burnout by taking breaks, seeking support, and practicing self-compassion.
- Tips for staying prepared during stressful life events, including using continuous glucose monitors and maintaining organized diabetes supplies.
Understanding the Link Between Stress and Diabetes
Although living with diabetes has some stressful moments, the relationship between the two is quite interconnected. When you experience stress, your body releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which trigger the fight-or-flight response. This is an innate response designed to help you deal with immediate challenges, but it also causes your blood glucose levels to rise. Essentially, when your brain senses stress, it signals the body to release stress hormones. These hormones:
- Increase blood glucose by prompting the liver to release stored sugar for quick energy.
- Interferes with insulin function, making it harder for cells to absorb glucose.
- Raise blood pressure and heart rate, adding strain to your cardiovascular system.
For people without diabetes, the body can produce more insulin to balance these elevations. However, for people with diabetes, the system doesn't always work as efficiently. In people with type 1 diabetes, the body either makes no insulin or only a minimal amount, not enough to deal with elevated glucose levels on its own. In people with type 2 diabetes, the body may not produce enough insulin or might not be able to use it properly.
If stress responses happen too often, it can lead to chronic stress, which keeps your blood sugar levels elevated and increases the risk of diabetes complications. Chronic stress can also increase insulin resistance and make it challenging to maintain lifestyle habits that help you manage glucose levels.
Different Stress Triggers and How to Recognize Them
Everyone experiences stress, but what triggers it can vary widely from person to person. Recognizing your personal stress triggers is one of the first and most powerful steps toward managing both your stress and diabetes control. Some of the most common things that can make you feel overwhelmed, regardless of your situation, include the following:
- Work or Academic Pressure: Deadlines, heavy workloads, or job insecurity.
- Family or Relationship Conflict: Arguments, caregiving duties, or lack of emotional support.
- Financial Worries: Concerns about medical costs, food budgets, or insurance coverage.
- Health Anxiety: Fear of complications, lab results, or managing daily treatment.
- Lifestyle Disruptions: Travel, illness, or changes in routine that affect medication or diet.
- Diabetes Burnout: Feeling overwhelmed by the daily demands of monitoring, planning meals, and staying consistent.
Recognizing these stressors before they take a toll on your overall well-being is important, but not always easy. Some signs that you're experiencing stress include:
- Headaces
- Muscle tension
- Fatigue
- Trouble sleeping
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Unexplained sadness
- Lack of motivation
- Restlessness
- Withdrawing from friends and family
- Frustration
- Overeating or undereating
- Skipping meals
- Not checking your blood sugar as regularly
- Unexpected glucose patterns
Working with your doctor can help you identify the type of stress, trigger, and how to make sustainable changes to your daily routine. In the meantime, it's essential to try to reduce stress and find ways to cope that work for you.
13 Healthy Ways to Manage Stress and Blood Sugar
Once you’ve identified some possible stress triggers, the next step is learning how to manage them in ways that support both your mind and your blood sugar. Healthy stress management doesn’t mean eliminating every stressful situation; it involves creating habits that can help you stay balanced and resilient when things get overwhelming.
1. Prioritize Nutrition
When life feels stressful, it’s tempting to reach for comfort foods that are high in sugar or refined carbs. While they might feel soothing in the moment, they can cause quick blood sugar spikes and energy crashes. Try to eat balanced meals that include lean protein, whole grains, healthy fats, and plenty of vegetables. It's also recommended to try to eat at regular times and keep nutritious snacks on hand to avoid skipping meals.
2. Learn About Mindfulness
Mindfulness is about slowing down and focusing on the present moment; it helps reduce anxiety and keeps your body’s stress response in check. Start small: spend five minutes focusing on your breath, or try to notice the taste and texture of your food without distractions. Over time, mindfulness can improve emotional balance and make diabetes feel less overwhelming.
3. Stay Active
Exercise is one of the most powerful tools for reducing stress and improving blood sugar control. Physical activity helps your body use glucose more efficiently and releases endorphins that lift your mood. Although it can be challenging to exercise when you're feeling anxious, even small movements can help boost your mood.
4. Try a Yoga Class
Yoga can be especially beneficial in helping you cope with stress, as it combines gentle movement, breathing, and mindfulness in one. Yoga has also been shown to lower cortisol levels and promote relaxation, so it's worth giving a try. Start with a beginner-friendly video online or check your local studio for some in-person classes.
5. Reduce Caffeine and Alcohol
Both caffeine and alcohol can interfere with sleep, raise stress levels, and affect blood sugar regulation. Try cutting back gradually, or swapping your afternoon coffee for herbal tea or sparkling water with lemon. Even a slight reduction in stimulants can go a long way in helping you feel calmer and more in control.
6. Try to Stick to a Routine
Having a daily routine is a great way to regain a sense of control over your day and make diabetes feel easier to manage. Routines tend to help people improve self-efficacy and feel empowered, but don't try to completely overhaul your schedule all at once. Start by scheduling a few things every day, whether it's going for a walk at the same time in the morning or setting an alarm to ensure you take medications at the same time every day. Over time, as you build your routine, it becomes easier to stick to and more habitual, meaning you won't be consistently thinking about your to-do list or how to make time for things you enjoy.
7. Get Enough Sleep
Poor sleep increases stress hormones and makes it harder to manage blood sugar, so try to get between seven and nine hours each night. If you're having trouble falling or staying asleep due to racing thoughts, talk to your healthcare provider for recommendations. Quality rest is one of the best things you can do for your body and should always be prioritized.
8. Spend Time With Family and Friends
Spending time with people you care about can do wonders for your headspace, so treat quality time with your loved ones like an appointment in your calendar. Schedule chats over coffee and dinners together, or even a quick phone call. Even the smallest interactions can help reduce your stress and remind you that you're not alone.
Alternatively, consider joining a diabetes support group. These are often led by healthcare professionals and filled with other individuals who are experiencing the same feelings of frustration or confusion as you. Just the act of being around like-minded people can help, so ask your doctor for local recommendations or check out the online options.
10. Manage Diabetes Distress and Burnout
Mental health and diabetes management are closely related, and too much stress can lead to situations that make it harder to manage blood sugar. If you start feeling emotionally exhausted, frustrated, or detached from your diabetes care, you might be experiencing diabetes distress. Take a break, reach out for support, and remind yourself that managing diabetes isn’t about perfection, it’s about progress and balance.
13. Cut Yourself Some Slack
Stressful days happen to everyone, and managing diabetes isn’t always easy. If your blood sugar runs high after a tough day or you miss a workout, don’t be too hard on yourself. Be patient, take a deep breath, and focus on what you can do next. And remember, if you need help, ask. While this is often easier said than done, you don't have to deal with everything on your own. Friends, family, doctors, counselors, diabetes educators, and other specialists are available to help in whatever way they can.
How to Stay Prepared During Stressful Life Events
Stressful life events can throw your diabetes routine out of balance, but preparation makes a big difference. To help, keep your diabetes products organized and try to be consistent with blood sugar readings. Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) are an excellent tool for consistency, but remember that even small steps can help you manage diabetes and reduce the risk of other health conditions. To help you with your journey, Byram Healthcare has an array of dependable diabetes products and extra support for managing your care. For additional support with managing stressful events, contact Byram’s diabetes helpline: 1-877-902-9726, ext. 43397, today.
