How Stress Exacerbates Diabetes

Despite the age of technology where much information as well as devices to increase comfort, stress is still very much present in everyone's life. Because of the many responsibilities that abound in one's life, the stress is multiplied all the more.

One way that individuals cope with the increased stress is through eating. As people eat, their blood sugar rises and this is not a problem when the individual is properly producing the hormone insulin. Insulin helps cells metabolize blood glucose for their regular processes. When the individual does not produce the proper amounts of insulin needed, then this is where problems arise. This condition is what is called diabetes.

So when two constants come together, namely stress and diabetes, then many problems occur. When under stress, the body's autonomic function is to increase blood sugar levels to allow the body the option to take on a fight or flight response. Other hormones such as epinephrine and cortisol also work their magic to allow the individual greater ability to utilize blood sugar. For a diabetic though, this is a major issue as the hormone insulin is either low or absent, making metabolism of these increased blood sugar levels a bigger issue.

What kinds of stress affects blood sugar levels? It can be emotional stress, such as a divorce, break up or being laid off from work or physical stress such as influenza or some other viral or bacterial infection. These though are acute stresses that do not provide the long-term damage that daily stress can exacerbate diabetes. These include simple pressures such as loss of appetite, eating binges or quick fix meals or sudden fits of anger on the road or vices such as smoking and/or drinking alcohol.

For the diabetic, managing both the acute and the daily stress is important to keep diabetes in check. This is done through stress level gauging exercises, such as writing down the immediate events when one checks their blood sugar levels. Call this one's stress journal and this has been proven effective in educating individuals on what causes stress in their lives. Another way is through de-stressing exercises. These include taking up yoga, meditation, progressive relaxation therapy or even slowing down can help curb the pernicious effects of stress on a life long condition such as diabetes. Also, the diabetic needs to be more conscious of their diets by eliminating caffeine or even going to therapy to help one manage stress in the diabetic life.

Stress exacerbates diabetes. This is a reality that each diabetic needs to manage aside from the health condition. How the individual manages their stress can help reduce the risks of diabetes complications in the long run.

Bobby Castro is the online editor at the Diabetes Forum, where he has published a number of articles about general diabetes and many other topics.