Do Your Stresses In Life Directly Affect Your Blood Sugars?
July 23, 2007 by Kendra James, RN
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
How have your blood sugars been lately? Mine are a bit better. I have tried to reduce stress, thus cortisol production, in my life the best I can. It is hard working and being a wife and mommy. Not that I am complaining because I know so many have it much tougher than I!
It is interesting though, when I research the effects of stress on diabetics I get a mixed bag of results. There is everything from an absolute yes, stress can and will effect your blood sugar, either up or down…
Faced with stress, the body naturally releases hormones and energy stores, including glucose, a type of sugar. Insulin then aids in the absorption of the extra energy into the cells. Called the fight-or-flight response, this biological reaction gives you energy to deal with the situation at hand. But diabetes can interfere with this stress response. In people with type 2 diabetes, stress actually suppresses the release of insulin. As a result, blood sugar levels tend to rise too high.
And then I search further and find that no, stress does not ultimately effect your blood sugars, or so this physician says…
I know many diabetics who’ve been involved in stressful marriages, divorces, loss of a business, slow death of a close relative, and the countless other sustained stresses of life we all must endure… I have yet to see such a situation directly cause blood sugar to increase—or, for that matter, decrease.
Hmm… so what do I think? You know your body, diabetes and blood sugar fluctuation’s best, and if you need to make changes in your treatment based on stressful situations, then go for it. Don’t be scared to disagree with your clinician. If you believe that your life is a bit “out of control” and you feel that your blood sugars are directly affected, then speak up and ask questions.
Personally, I see a direct correlation between high stress times and changes in my blood sugars. Mine seem to rise at all parts of the day, especially mid afternoon. So take note of your life and what you have going on around you. Sometimes our mental self is just as important as our physical self!
via Franklin Square Hospital Center
I have found in my experience that stress can cause an surge in my sugar levesl. But it doesn’t end there. If I don’t catch it then that surge can cause feelings of anger and I get very snappy at people and can easily lose my temper. That then creates more stress and more problems with temper. It is a vicious cycle that a diabetic needs to recognize and to be able to step away from others and get back in control.
I am not considered diabetic at this time. However, my latest checkups have indicated gradually increasing glucose levels and I have been under considerable stress lately. I probably had better cool it and take it easy.