As per information from the World Health Organization, millions of people in the world suffer from diabetes mellitus or type-2 diabetes. The most threatening concern is that people of all age groups are being affected by this ailment globally. Blood sugar levels in the body are quite high in diabetic patients. Generally, this becomes a chronic problem to deal with. The greatest risk associated with diabetes is that it calls for other kinds of serious ailments in the body like cardiac problems, peripheral vascular disease, coronary heart ailment, neuropathy, nephropathy, retinopathy, etc. When treated at the right time and in the right manner, diabetes can be kept under control and one can lead a normal life.
There are various reasons which might contribute to the development of diabetes mellitus or type-2 diabetes. Among the many reasons, stress plays a crucial role in aggravating blood sugar levels in the body. Along with stress, depression is also a common cause of developing diabetes. Chronic emotional stress leads to the development of depression over a long period. Keeping stress under control helps in keeping blood sugar levels in check.
There are different ways in which diabetes can be checked. Diet control is the best way of maintaining healthy sugar levels in the body. However, patients of chronic diabetes often need to take medicines for keeping their blood sugar levels under control. Insulin injections are also prescribed for many patients, who have high blood sugar levels. Taking these medications for long might lead to serious side effects in the long run. Instead of this, there is another effective way in which diabetes mellitus can be combated successfully. Halki Diabetes Remedy helps in reducing blood sugar levels in the most natural manner. The best thing about this remedy is that it is completely natural and there are no side effects from the same. Innumerable people have gained greatly by using Halki Diabetes Remedy.
What happens to blood sugar levels when one is stressed?
During times of stress, the body automatically prepares itself by making sure that energy or abundant sugars are readily available. When stressed, levels of insulin fall in the body, there is a rise in the levels of epinephrine and glucagon and more amounts of glucose are released from the liver. Simultaneously, cortisol levels and growth hormone levels rise in the body. As a result body tissues including fat and muscle become less sensitive to insulin. What happens is that more glucose becomes available in the bloodstream.
When a patient suffers from type-2 diabetes, low blood sugars from excessive use of insulin or medications is a common cause of stress. Hormonal response to low blood sugar takes place with the rapid release of glucagon and epinephrine and slow release of growth hormone and cortisol. The hormonal responses which take place from low blood sugar levels might last for almost 6-8 hours. In this period, it might get very difficult to control the blood sugar levels. When low blood sugar is followed by high blood sugar levels, the phenomenon is known as a ‘rebound’ reaction.
How different kinds of stresses impact diabetes?
If you thought that the connection between stress and diabetes is the same for everyone, you are highly mistaken. You will be surprised to know that the effect of stress varies from one person to another. The kind of stress that one undergoes or experiences can have a direct effect and impact on the physical response of the body.
It has been seen that when people suffering from type-2 diabetes suffer from immense mental stress, generally an increase in blood sugar levels is experienced. However, people who suffer from type-1 diabetes experience a more varied response. For such patients, there can either be an increase or decrease in blood sugar levels.
People who are under immense physical stress generally have increased blood sugar levels. The same thing might happen when a person is injured or sick. This is applicable for patients suffering from both type-1 and type-2 diabetes.
Ascertaining if mental stress is affecting blood sugar levels
Determining specific triggers for stress is very important for addressing the problem. You might need to keep a track of some additional information like what kind of activity you were doing when you felt stressed or what was the date and time when you felt stressed and anxious. One of the most common stress triggers is that of Monday morning blues. To combat this problem, you might need to follow some special steps on Monday mornings so that your stress levels can be reduced and the glucose levels can be kept under check.
For ensuring that this is happening, you have to keep a check on your glucose and stress levels. You need to rate the level of your mental stress and understand the extent of stress. Once stress levels are checked, it is time to check the blood glucose levels. This shouldn’t be done for just one day; rather it should be continued for quite a few weeks. You will see some changes in your stress levels and blood glucose levels and a pattern will be seen in the same. If you find that your blood glucose levels are consistently high, there are high chances that your stress levels are regularly high and that is directly impacting the blood sugar levels in the body.
Coping with diabetes-related stress
Feeling stressed out is nothing uncommon and nothing wrong. It can happen with you, me and everyone. So if you are stressed, know that you are not the only one battling the problem. There are innumerable communities and groups both online and offline, which are ready to support you for solidarity and strength.
- In-person support groups
These groups have become very popular with people suffering from diabetes. While some groups are dedicatedly for women, some are for men and some of them welcome both men and women. Many of these groups opened in some particular city and then expanded to other areas with popularity. Generally, informal meetings and meet-ups are arranged by the group at regular intervals of time. Usually, the meetings are held at the weekend so that everyone can attend the same. The span of the meetings varies from one another, but it commonly lasts for about one-two hours.
You can easily search about such in-person support groups on the internet based on a particular region. There are listings of such groups in many online directories along with their names and contact numbers. Before going there in person, you can talk to them via telephone and then take the final decision.
- Online support groups
The internet is a storehouse of information and contact links. With the internet and social media in hand, you can join various groups and communities, which are present and active online. There are special diabetes support groups, stress handling support groups, etc. where you can become a member by joining the social media platform. Various kinds of suggestions and helpful tips can be obtained from the group from time to time. Also, there is a strong online community with whom you can communicate as and when required. These groups help in coping with stress, anxiety and other related issues successfully. There are also many websites, which are based on stress and diabetes-related topics. These websites aim to provide real and accurate information for improving the quality of life of people. Various kinds of informative videos, recipes, articles, tips, etc. are there on the websites.
- Therapy
It has been seen that when people talk about their stress, worries, and anxieties, they feel much better. In fact, with talking, solutions to many problems can also be sought successfully. If you are a diabetic and stressed at the same time, it is highly recommended that you seek consultation from a professional therapist. Talk frankly with the therapist regarding your stress and anxiety. Along with providing a comfortable and relaxing ambiance to talk, the therapist will also offer various kinds of stress coping mechanisms, which will be customized to your problem or situation. If the therapist thinks it is important, he/she might also recommend some kind of medical advice for the patient. This is not available in online or offline support groups or community-based help.
To summarize, it is clear that stress can impact blood sugar levels and vice versa. Therefore it is important to keep the stress levels under check so that sugar levels are controlled and maintained.
Related: How To Help People With Diabetes?