Stress can cause a rise in blood sugar levels, which can be dangerous for diabetics. Hormones like cortisol and epinephrine increase energy, but diabetics cannot control the sugar surge. Long-term stress can lead to persistent problems with diabetes, and stress can interfere with a patient’s ability to control their diet and exercise.
It is generally accepted that stress is harmful to a person both mentally and physically. This is true when it comes to a number of conditions, including diabetes. When a person is under stress, hormones in their body trigger a rise in blood sugar. This is the body’s way of preparing for the extra exertion caused by stress. Unfortunately, a diabetic’s body can’t control the sugar surge as it should, and stress can contribute to blood sugar levels high enough to become dangerous.
The relationship between stress and diabetes is due, in part, to the effect of stress on the hormones in the patient’s body. When a person is under stress, hormones called cortisol and epinephrine work on the body to increase energy. They do this by temporarily raising blood sugar levels. This spike in blood sugar can affect anyone who is under stress, however, not just people who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
The relationship between stress and diabetes can be dangerous. While stress can cause anyone’s blood sugar to rise, it can be worse in diabetics, as their bodies are unable to effectively counter the rise in blood sugar. Unfortunately, stress levels can increase due to a wide variety of factors, many of which may be beyond the patient’s control. For example, a person may experience emotional and physical stress in response to overexertion and illness.
While the relationship between short-term stress and diabetes can cause temporary increases in blood sugar, long-term stresses can expose a person to persistent problems with diabetes. For example, if a person suffers from depression, their stress levels may remain consistently high. As a result, the patient may have more difficulty managing their blood sugar. Furthermore, stress can lead to other health problems, which can cause further stress for the patient and contribute even more to the rise in blood sugar.
Some of the relationships between stress and diabetes are beyond a diabetic’s control, but there are some ways that stress can interfere with things the patient can control. For example, a person dealing with depression may feel less motivated to be careful with their diet than she is. He may eat things that are bad for him in an attempt to get relief from stress and depression. He may also stop exercising, which can be detrimental to diabetes control, because he feels less motivated or disinterested in things he previously considered important.
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