When the body is under stress, it triggers hormones that can spike glucose levels. Therefore, stress is one of the major factors adversely impacting diabetic patients. The best endocrinologists in Delhi can help with the management of stress-related diabetes.
The relationship between diabetes and stress is on various levels. While stress can contribute to diabetes, it can also be a result of diabetes. Several studies have revealed that high levels of stress throughout a person’s lifetime can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Read on to know more about the connection between diabetes and stress.
The Negative Impact of Stress on Blood Sugar and Diabetes
When type 2 diabetes patients are under mental stress, their blood glucose levels increase considerably. People with anxiety and depression are more prone to developing type 2 diabetes.
But in patients with type 1 diabetes, the impact of mental stress can vary. It will either spike blood sugar levels or decrease them.
Some stress factors that can increase the risk of developing diabetes are as follows:
- Traumatic experiences or stressful life events
- Hostility and anger
- Emotional trauma
- Work-related stress
- Lack of sleep or irregular sleep
Physical stress can also cause your blood sugar levels to increase. For instance, injury or sickness can lead to increased glucose levels. Physical stress can harm people with type 1 as well as type 2 diabetes.
Stress can trigger diabetes by affecting the following factors:
Lifestyle Factors
High-stress levels can often lead a person to follow unhealthy life habits. For instance, a person might start eating an unhealthy diet, smoking, and drinking. All these lifestyle habits are associated with increasing the risk of diabetes.
Hormones
Emotional stress can often impact a person’s hormone levels and disrupt the functioning of insulin. Stress is known to trigger the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. It can lead to hormonal changes like reducing sex hormone secretion and increasing cortisol levels.
Cortisol is the stress hormone in the body. The hormonal imbalances can also impact insulin levels. Therefore, it can trigger the production of glucose and raise a person’s blood sugar levels.
People with abnormal hormonal levels usually notice an increasing waist-to-hip ratio. It means that the size of their waist becomes larger than their hips. This is one of the most prominent risk factors leading to cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
Immune System
Diabetes And StressChronic stress can also have a huge impact on a person’s immune system. The development of type 2 diabetes is often an immune system response to increased stress levels.
Is Mental Stress Influencing Your Blood Glucose Levels?
If you want to determine whether mental stress is triggering your blood glucose levels, you should track information like your specific stressors. For instance, are you prone to feeling stressed every Monday? If yes, you will be able to take specific steps to manage stress and your blood glucose levels on Monday.
Keep track of your stress and glucose levels regularly to determine the impact. Start with rating your stress and then measure your glucose levels. If you keep doing this for a few weeks, you will be able to notice patterns in the relationship between stress and diabetes. Read also: Celebrity Diet
If you regularly notice your blood sugar levels to be high, it’s probably mental stress. Therefore, people with diabetes must care for their minds as much as they do for their bodies. Some habits that can help reduce stress levels include practicing mindfulness, managing anger, and doing physical exercises.
Symptoms of Stress
At times, people realize it too late that stress is worsening their diabetes. The symptoms of stress are mostly subtle and are often too difficult to notice. But stress will harm your physical, emotional, as well as mental well-being.
Recognizing the signs of stress will ensure that you can take active steps toward managing them. So let’s start by describing the physical symptoms of stress:
- Muscle tension or stress
- Headaches
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Fatigue
- Feelings of illness
Stress can also make you feel this way:
- Irritable
- Restless
- Depressed
- Unmotivated
- Anxious
Apart from that, stress can make people behave out of character like the following:
- Eating too much or too little
- Consuming too much alcohol_
- Using tobacco
- Acting out in anger
If your stress is caused due to diabetes, you can join online or in-person support groups to manage it. Besides, you can also consult a therapist and speak about your concerns.
Wrapping up
If you see a significant rise in your glucose levels due to stress, consult the best endocrinologist in delhi or at your preferred location. BLK Max Hospital is the place where you will find the most qualified medical practitioners to help manage your diabetes.
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