Stress Is Almost As Bad As Sugar If You Have Diabetes, But You Can Control It

Living with diabetes is incredibly stressful because of its far reaching impact on almost every aspect of life. Unfortunately, stress disorders can make it much harder to manage diabetes effectively because of the impact of stress on your blood sugar levels, as well as on your response to the diet and lifestyle changes that are essential to managing diabetes.

The Relationship Between Diabetes And Stress

As a chronic condition, diabetes management requires lifelong monitoring of blood sugar levels, strict adherence to medication, and lifestyle changes. This can greatly add to the stress of day-to-day life, giving rise to chronic stress disorders. This poses a serious threat to your health as stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline directly affect glucose levels.

When stressed, your body responds by releasing these hormones into the bloodstream. This increases blood flow to the muscles and limbs and also fires up nerve cells, triggering the release of glucose. As your body cannot effectively process glucose, this leads to a rise in blood sugar levels. Constant stress from long-term problems of diabetes can also wear you down mentally and physically, making it harder for you to comply with diabetes treatment recommendations.

The effects of stress can also differ, depending on which type of diabetes you are dealing with. Individuals who suffer from type 2 diabetes are most likely to experience a rise in blood sugar levels when stressed, while those suffering from type 1 diabetes can experience either a spike or drop in blood sugar levels. Keeping track of your moods and regularly monitoring blood sugar levels can help to establish a relationship, so that you can deal with stress appropriately.

Symptoms Of Stress

Symptoms of stress are easy to overlook, but it’s important to recognize the early warning signs. Doing so can help you take steps to better manage stress, lowering the risk of a chronic stress disorder and reducing the risk of diabetes complications. Common signs of stress include:

Headaches
Muscle pain or fatigue
Extended or reduced sleep
Feelings of irritation
Depression
Constant worrying or anxiety
Increased or decreased appetite
Drug abuse

Effective Ways To Reduce Stress Levels

There are different types of stress that we experience, including emotional, relationship, work, and financial stress. Identifying the cause of your stress is the first step to deal with it. You can then reduce exposure to stressors or use coping mechanisms to lower your stress levels. Some of the most effective stress reduction techniques include:

Meditation

Daily meditative practices can help control negative thoughts and will allow your mind to relax. A 15-minute meditation session daily will provide you with a more positive perspective towards life and will clear all the clutter in your head.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

This is a relaxation technique in which you consciously tighten or tense specific muscles as you inhale and then relax them as you exhale. You can start with your feet and work your way up to the shoulder or neck muscles, all the while also focusing on breathing. This is known to encourage both mental and physical relaxation.

Maintain A Journal

Writing down your thoughts and feelings in a journal can be therapeutic for many people and it also helps you organize your thoughts and fears. You can then confront and dismiss worries that are irrational or unfounded, while making plans to tackle genuine concerns. This helps give you mental clarity and lowers stress levels.

How To Manage Stress Caused By Diabetes

Always remember that you are not alone. Diabetes affects millions of people and it’s normal for many diabetics to experience stress and even struggle with stress disorders. However, communicating with others can help you to cope with and overcome stress. This is particularly important if you don’t get adequate relief with stress reduction techniques.

Support Groups

Some of the best people to talk to are those who share in your experiences as they themselves live with diabetes. Connecting with other diabetics can be an inspiring and learning experience as you understand what other patients go through and how some of them have learned to cope with stress. Most importantly, you’ll find the support and comfort of others who understand exactly what you’re going through.

Therapy

Behavioral therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists are the best professionals for you to turn to, especially if you find that stress is affecting your life and you can’t control the problem. If behavioral therapy and counseling are inadequate, psychiatrists can also prescribe medications. .

Although a diagnosis of diabetes is life altering, diabetes doesn’t have to control your life. With advances in modern medicine and diabetes care, it is possible to enjoy a good quality of life. Of course, this requires strict adherence to your diabetes treatment plan and keep your stress in check.