Undeniably, high sugar is on the rise and we are all aware of the fact that sugars and simple carbs can contribute to insulin resistance. While diet is one of the most important factors to prevent diabetes, there is another factor responsible for causing high blood sugar – which has nothing to do with candies, sodas, or white bread – and it is stress.
Are you aware of the fact that the blood sugar level rises when a person becomes anxious or stressed? We all know how stress can affect our overall health, but there is a connection between stress and blood glucose. How?
It is imperative to know the link between stress and blood glucose. For starters, high blood glucose can cause a number of diseases, including diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Even if you are trying to manage your blood sugar issue by following a low-carb diet, Atkins, a keto diet, or intermittent fasting, stress may sabotage your efforts by increasing your blood glucose even when you fast or eat only protein and fat.
Dr. Amy Shah, Integrative Medicine Doctor, said, “I’m a big fan of IF, and when I did my own check a few days ago, I noticed that when I was stressed from getting a poor night of sleep, my blood sugar jumped. This is concerning for me because in my family, every single person on my father’s side has type 2 diabetes.”
When you are stressed, your body activates its “fight or flight” response, which makes your body release blood sugar into your bloodstream, allowing you to use it immediately in an emergency. For instance, if you were about to run away from a stressful situation, you would use that glucose for quick energy. However, a problem may arise when you are persistently stressed. When this happens on a regular basis, your body constantly releases blood sugar, eventually releasing more insulin.
Increased insulin secretion, called hyperinsulinemia, causes your body to force glucose back into your cells. Insulin is a hormone that signals your body to store fat. This explains why people often gain weight in stressful situations even if they follow a healthy diet.
Stress or anxiety releases cortisol (also called stress hormone) from the adrenal glands. In stressful situations, the body gets a message from the brain to release sugar, increasing liver glycogenesis – a process that regenerates glucose. The signal stops once the stressful event gets over.
It is okay if the event occurs occasionally. However, if the situation occurs on a frequent basis, it can make your body really confused, causing unwanted glucose in the bloodstream that your body does not actually need.
Overall, this physiological connection explains why we often have high blood sugar even when we are taking necessary steps by following a healthy diet and lifestyle. Many experts believe that stress and sleep can have the largest impact on your blood sugar levels. So what we need to do? Although we cannot avoid stress completely, Dr. Shah recommends taking note of the stress- and anxiety-provoking situations that you may encounter on a regular basis. She advises evaluating your life and making moves to reduce negative stress as much as possible.
