Stress does not cause diabetes directly, but it interferes with insulin and can raise blood sugar levels. The body releases hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, which aggravate insulin resistance, a health problem that prevents cells from absorbing glucose from the blood and causes very high blood sugar levels.

When stress is maintained for a long time and is not treated, the risk of complications linked to diabetes is even greater.

Stress can also negatively impact sleep, mood and energy, which generates a vicious cycle in which the body and mind are constantly demanded, and health progressively deteriorates, they note in wellbeing notes from Bupa Salud.

Stress in people with diabetes

The repercussions of stress are varied. In type 2 diabetes, an increase in sugar levels is observed, while in type 1 diabetes, there may be fluctuations. Long-term complications include cardiovascular problems and organ damage.

Symptoms of stress warning signs include mood swings, anxiety, trouble concentrating, and drowsiness, and for people with diabetes, elevated blood sugar is the most critical sign of stress.

It is well known that after episodes of stress, people with diabetes begin to have higher blood sugar levels.

The relationship between mental health, stress, and diabetes goes both ways, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For example, untreated mental health problems can worsen the prognosis for people with diabetes, and diabetes can also cause stress, anxiety, depression, and other disorders.

Stress Management and Diabetes

To manage stress when having diabetes, a combination of strategies is recommended to maintain physical and emotional balance, in addition to ensuring good glycemic control. Some key recommendations are:

These actions can help better manage stress that impacts diabetes control by reducing anxiety and improving daily self-care, thus facilitating an active and healthy life.

“Normal” stress and stress that affects diabetes

Normal stress is a temporary physiological response to challenging or adaptive situations, with a controlled release of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, and does not normally cause prolonged changes in blood glucose.

In contrast, stress that affects diabetes is characterized by being chronic or intense, significantly elevating stress hormones, making it difficult to regulate insulin and causing sustained increases or fluctuations in blood sugar levels.

Emotional stress (anxiety, worries) and physical stress (illness, injury) can worsen glycemic control in people with diabetes, increasing insulin resistance and raising blood sugar beyond what is expected. Normal stress.

To differentiate normal stress from stress that affects diabetes, you should look at the persistence and magnitude of the impact on blood glucose levels: if glucose levels repeatedly rise with stress and are difficult to control, it may be an indication that stress is negatively affecting diabetes. Keeping track of stress and glucose levels can help identify this relationship.

So, the key is to monitor how stress impacts glucose levels and actively manage stress to improve diabetes management.