Stress, both mental and physical, has been proven to elevate blood glucose. Management of stress can help in maintaining the sugar levels.
Whenever we think about the cause of diabetes, we usually focus on genetic factors, unhealthy eating habits, or lack of exercise that lead to obesity as the most common causes. While this is right, we often tend to forget an important cause of diabetes, i.e. stress.
Stress is “a physical, emotional or chemical factor that causes physical or mental strain and may be a factor in causing diseases.” Various diseases can be caused or worsened by stress, and diabetes is one of them.
In the case of stressful situations, your insulin levels fall, and stress hormone levels rise, making it difficult for your insulin to function properly. Moreover, stress throws one off their daily routine, leading to worsening blood glucose levels. If you reach for junk food or alcohol/tobacco to deal with stress, it can make things worse.
Too much stress can also lead to depression. Diabetics are more likely to be depressed than an average person. You are at risk if you have any of the following symptoms-
Read More: Diabetes and Depression: Diagnosis and Treatment Options
These feelings of worthlessness and fatigue can hinder a person from practising self-care, further worsening his sugar levels. It is important to reach out for help. Depression can be treated with little self-awareness and guidance.
People often do not realise that they are under stress, and even if they do, they deny it. Reduction of stress often leads to substantial improvement in diabetes.
Some ways of managing stress-
The first step is to realise that everyone in the world is exposed to stress at some point in their lives. It is a part of our modern, fast-paced lives. Therefore, it’s good to own it as a challenge and not as a threat.