Stress and Blood Sugar: What's the Connection?

Life can sometimes feel like a never-ending to-do list of things that need to be handled ASAP. The unfortunate byproducts of this daily grind are increased stress and anxiety. You may be aware of the psychological effects of various stressors, but do you know about the physical relationship between anxiety, stress and blood sugar?

The Ripple Effect

Although stress and anxiety begin in your mind, they cause a ripple effect through many parts of your body. Your body releases stress hormones, including cortisol and adrenaline, which trigger the "fight or flight" response — a survival mechanism your body naturally uses to protect itself from perceived danger. During this stress response, many bodily changes occur, including:

• Increased blood pressure

• Increased muscle strength

• Heightened metabolism

• Increased mental activity

• Increased breakdown of carbohydrates to be used for energy

• Increased blood sugar concentration

These functions allow your body to perform more strenuously than it normally would so you can respond effectively to the "danger." Once the perceived threat disappears, your body returns to its normal state. However, for people who frequently experience stress, these bodily changes can have a longer-term impact on physical health.

Anxiety can also affect blood sugar. It can lead to temporary blood sugar spikes in the short term, but chronic anxiety takes a larger toll, disrupting sleeping patterns and eating habits, which further complicates blood sugar regulation.

Too Much of a Good Thing

Blood sugar is supposed to rise and fall, and increased blood sugar levels are actually helpful to your body in the short term. However, prolonged stress can make controlling that rise and fall much more challenging. Put simply, too much stress can put you at risk for blood-sugar-related health issues.

Risk 1: Insulin Resistance and Diabetes

Any rise in blood sugar triggers the release of the hormone insulin, which is released to help lower blood sugar levels back to the healthy range. It does this by directing the sugar to enter your body's cells to be used for energy, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

However, when blood sugar increases too often, your cells can become less responsive to insulin. The result is that blood sugar levels remain higher than they should. This is called insulin resistance, and it can lead to the development of type 2 diabetes.

Risk 2: Poorly Controlled Diabetes

It's more difficult for people who already have any form of diabetes (type 1, type 2, prediabetes or gestational diabetes) to control their blood sugar levels if they frequently experience stress. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to other health problems like nerve damage, vision problems, kidney disease and heart disease. Diabetes already causes abnormalities in how your body regulates stress hormones, so even low amounts of stress and anxiety raise blood sugar.

People who feel stressed or anxious often turn to food for comfort. Unfortunately, high on many peoples' lists of comfort foods are sugary and high-carb foods like chips, ice cream, cookies, and other desserts, which cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels followed by a blood sugar crash soon after. When blood sugar levels drop, your body wants more to eat, leading to a roller coaster of blood sugar highs and lows. This puts stress on your body and makes it hard to achieve stable blood sugar levels.

Put Stress in Its Place

Everyone experiences stress differently, and some people have a higher tolerance for it than others. Here are some tips for managing stress to support healthy blood sugar levels (and an overall healthy body and mind):

1. Set Boundaries

Think about what's really important versus what you could postpone or decline altogether. Rearrange your priorities to reduce the number of commitments you have.

2. Prioritize Sleep

Lack of sleep contributes to even greater stress on your body and raises your cortisol levels. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that adults get seven or more hours of sleep each night to function at their best. Keep a consistent bedtime, and reduce or avoid screen time at least 30 minutes before to ensure better sleep.

3. Put Self-Care on the List

Taking care of yourself and making time to do the things you enjoy is essential to reducing stress and enhancing your quality of life. Make an effort to get back to activities you used to enjoy but have replaced with obligations. Consider making time for art, journaling, exercising, reading for pleasure, taking a relaxing bath, watching a good movie or spending time in nature.

4. Eat to Succeed

Certain foods help your body adapt to stress. Try to consume a variety of nutrient-dense and minimally processed foods like fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, eggs, fish, beans and whole grains each day. Also, minimize sugar and caffeine, which can exacerbate stress.

5. Make Mindfulness a Habit

Mindfulness is the practice of being present and aware of something without feeling overwhelmed or overly reactive to it. Its benefits include reducing stress, increasing performance and gaining greater insight into your own mind and how it reacts to things. You can practice mindfulness through meditation, deep breathing or even just pausing throughout the day to be aware.

6. Ask for Help

Never hesitate to ask for help when you need it, even if it's just to connect with a trusted friend or loved one to share your thoughts or ask for advice. Professional therapy can also help you manage circumstances that may be contributing to your stress.

Achieving Balance

Stress and anxiety raise blood sugar. Remember that when you're tempted to discount mental anguish as simply an emotional state. They have profound physiological effects on your body, including blood sugar regulation. Understanding the relationship between stress and blood sugar is a must for individuals with diabetes and those at risk of developing it. When it comes to controlling blood sugar, focusing on better sleep, self-care and therapy can be as important as dietary changes and medication.

Clinically reviewed on Aug. 29, 2024.