By Stress is not just a mental health issue, but, rather, it shows physically through your blood glucose meter. If you’ve ever wondered if stress can replace your blood glucose levels, the answer is Yes!, from the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline; thus, this can raise your blood glucose levels temporarily.
Stress-related blood glucose spikes can be quite difficult to detect. Symptoms typically feel like something other than the fact that your blood glucose level is out of the normal range – fatigue, thirst, brain fog, irritability, or just not feeling normal.
If you live with diabetes or prediabetes, frequent spikes make it especially difficult to control your blood sugar on a daily basis; for everyone else, these spikes can be an alert that the body is being overstressed.
Why stress can raise blood sugar
Your body’s response to stress is to go into a fight-or-flight state where your liver will release stored glucose into your bloodstream so you can have quick energy. According to the Cleveland Clinic, cortisol and epinephrine are released by the body when under emotional stress; therefore, causing short-term increases in blood sugar. Per CDC, stress hormones can cause unpredictable fluctuations in blood glucose levels (both high and low) as well.
In addition to short-term stress causing fluctuations in blood glucose levels, long-term stress will complicate things even more. Long-term stress can lead to poor sleeping habits, poor eating habits, not exercising and poor self-care, all things that influence glucose control.
This is why after a bad week of dealing with family issues, not sleeping well or having extreme pressure at work, an individual may see an increase in their blood sugar levels.
7 warning signs your blood sugar may be rising from stress
1) You are using the bathroom way too much
Frequent urination is often an indicator of high blood sugar. Elevated blood sugar levels can cause glycosuria (sugar in the urine), resulting in an increase in urine production. If the body cannot process excess sugar (i.e., high blood sugar), frequent urination will relieve the body of the excess.
Frequent urination at night (nocturia) can be common with increased levels of blood sugar from the glucosuria. As stated by the CDC, an increase in urination is one of the #1 signs of elevated blood glucose levels. The Mayo Clinic indicates that glucose in urine can also cause an increase in urine production as well.
If you are experiencing frequent urination right after a stressful period, do not ignore that trend. Stress may create the trigger, but your body is telling you something is wrong.
2) ou are incredibly dehydrated or your mouth has been feeling very dry
Frequent urination usually causes increased thirst. Increased fluid loss from urination will cause your body to try and replenish the fluid lost by forcing you to drink more fluids. Increased thirst is listed by the CDC as one of the classic symptoms of high blood glucose level(s). The Mayo Clinic indicates that dehydration can exacerbate your thirst.
Maybe you have had a dry mouth after a stressful moment and drank a lot of coffee and caffeinated beverages. A little dry mouth would not be an issue but if you have a recurring dry mouth after stressful times, it may be something to pay attention to.
3) You feel constant fatigue throughout the day
High levels of stress and high levels of sugar are both found to reduce energy levels. The CDC estimates that fatigue is one of the most frequent symptoms of elevated glucose levels (high amounts of glucose), while at the same time identifying that high amounts of stress have a negative impact on appetite, concentration, and overall physical health. Those who experience high amounts of glucose frequently report an overwhelming sensation of fatigue or sluggishness.
This type of fatigue can usually be attributed solely to insufficient sleep. Sometimes the degree of fatigue being experienced is due at least partially to a lack of sleep; nevertheless, when high amounts of stress and high amounts of glucose spike simultaneously, those suffering tend to experience even deeper feelings of fatigue that are harder to recover from.
4) You have blurry or foggy vision
When levels of glucose are elevated, then those elevated levels of glucose can create visual blurriness or foggy feelings. According to the CDC, blurry vision is one of the most frequently identified symptoms of diabetes, while the Cleveland Clinic identifies blurry vision as a symptom of hyperglycemia. If after experiencing elevated levels of stress you suddenly find it more difficult to see so clearly – i.e., screens, reading, and driving – then chances are that elevated levels of glucose are the cause of that stress.
Despite how obvious it may seem that a person would recognize their visual changes, many times they are overlooked until more obvious signs come into play. For example, if you have visual changes that are associated with increased thirst, constant tiredness, and/or excessive urination, then there is a much greater likelihood that the visual blur you are experiencing is due to elevated levels of glucose in your body.
5) You feel more irritable, moody, or mentally “switched on” in a bad way
You’re likely to experience feelings of depression, fatigue, frustration, anger, and being ‘on edge’ due to stress. Stress can lead to feelings of disconnection, inability to concentrate, irritability, and changes in mood (good or bad).
High blood glucose can also contribute to this feeling and make it difficult to determine if your feelings are emotional or physical or both. The CDC identifies irritability and moodiness as common symptoms related to diabetes, and the CDC also states that stress can cause physical symptoms such as high blood pressure, difficulty concentrating, and difficulty sleeping.
This sign is often observed during busy seasons or periods of high demand; therefore, it is very easy for people to identify as being ‘stressed out or anxious’ without realizing it could be attributed to excessive amounts of glucose in the body, until they keep track of their glucose levels.
What are some quick ways to deal with stress that causes increased blood sugar?
First, check your blood sugar if possible. If you use a glucose monitor or continuous glucose monitor (CGM), the results will tell you whether the cause of your issue is stress, blood sugar or both. According to the Cleveland Clinic, checking blood sugar at home is a good way to check for hyperglycemia, and according to the CDC, both anxiety and blood sugar have overlapping symptoms, so checking blood glucose levels may help you determine what is going on.
Next, try to quickly calm your stress response. The CDC recommends using relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, yoga, exercise, talking to someone supportive, and getting enough sleep in order to help reduce the stress response. Even a few minutes of walking can help.
A simple reset for your body includes:
- Step away from the stressor for 5–10 minutes.
- Focus on your breathing until your heart rate slows down.
- Drink little sips of water.
- Go for a brief walk if possible.
- Choose healthy options for meals or snacks instead of sugary foods.
Additionally, hydration is also important; according to the CDC, dehydration can cause blood sugar levels to be more concentrated and when there is too much sugar in your urine, Mayo Clinic states there is fluid loss and thirst due to excess sugar. Water is one of the best choices for a first drink when you feel stressed and have elevated blood sugar.
If you continue to have a lot of stress, do not try to “tough it out”; the CDC recommends developing healthy habits related to physical activity, sleep, nutrition and relaxation will prevent the negative consequences of prolonged high stress, by compounding other health issues.
When stress is causing an increase in your blood sugar, an immediate intervention might be necessary for some symptoms.
The NHS offers guidance stating that an individual should get urgent medical assistance if high blood sugar is accompanied by such symptoms as vomiting, stomach pain, increased respiratory rate, rapid heart beat, drowsiness, confusion, fruity smelling breath and high levels of ketones. The Mayo Clinic provides similar guidelines stating that you should seek emergency care if there are prolonged periods of high blood sugar and there are signs of ketones, or if you cannot keep any fluids down.
If you are diabetic and think that you are developing hyperglycemia (especially during times of illness or extreme psychological or emotional stress), do not take the chance of waiting to test. Testing, re-hydration and obtaining timely medical intervention can assist in averting a larger problem.
Conclusion
So, does stress raise blood sugar? Absolutely! Yes! Stress hormones will cause glucose levels to rise. The signs of excessive glucose levels may look like thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, blurred vision, irritability, hungriness, headaches and brain fog.
The #1 most effective thing to do is see if you can check your blood sugar and then: hydrate, slow your breathing down, and simply remove yourself from the stressor for a moment — enough that you can reset your mind and body. If you have any of the aforementioned symptoms in conjunction with vomiting, confusion, fruity breath or tachypnea, you should immediately obtain urgent medical assistance.
Ultimately the best way to not simply react quicker is to learn your body’s patterns so that stress won’t continue driving your blood sugar up without you having any awareness of it.