People with diabetes often notice their blood sugar becomes harder to control when they are stressed, as per the report by EatingWell. Experts explained why stress and blood sugar are connected and what people can do to manage both.
How stress hurts your blood sugar
1. Stress hormones raise your blood sugar
The stress response in our body is very old, from the time humans ran from wild animals. Today, our body reacts the same way even for work deadlines. During stress, the body releases “fight-or-flight” hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones raise blood sugar, says Vandana Sheth, RDN, CDCES, as stated by EatingWell. These hormones also make insulin work poorly, so sugar stays in the blood.
If this hormone spike happens once in a while, it is okay. But daily stress causes constant high cortisol. Chronically high cortisol builds more visceral fat around the stomach, says Kimberley Rose-Francis, RDN, CDCES. More visceral fat makes the body resist insulin, which raises blood sugar and increases risk of obesity, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
2. Stress ruins your sleep
Stress keeps people awake, makes them toss and turn, and leaves them tired the next day. Almost 75% of people say stress affects their sleep sometimes or always, as stated in the report by EatingWell. Poor sleep makes the body’s cells respond badly to insulin, which raises blood sugar. Experts say everyone should aim for 7 to 9 hours of good sleep to protect blood sugar.
3. Stress leads to emotional eating
Many people stress-eat to feel better. It is a common coping habit. During stress, people usually choose sugary and carb-heavy comfort foods like cookies, ice cream and chips — not salads. Stress releases cortisol, which increases hunger and cravings for high-calorie foods.
Regular stress-eating can cause weight gain, which is a major risk for prediabetes and diabetes, as per the report by EatingWell. Stress-eating also reduces intake of fiber and protein foods that help control blood sugar spikes, says Kaitlin Hippley, M.Ed, RDN, LD, CDCES.
How to control stress + protect blood sugar
1. Sleep better
Experts say a relaxing bedtime routine can help your body know it is time to rest. If 7–9 hours feels difficult, try going to bed just 15 minutes earlier each night to slowly fix the body clock.
2. Move your body
Exercise reduces stress by increasing happy hormones like endorphins and serotonin. Exercise also lowers stress hormones like cortisol, notes Kaitlin Hippley, M.Ed, RDN, LD, CDCES. Physical activity directly lowers blood sugar, as mentioned by EatingWell. You don’t need intense workouts — walking, yoga or weight training also help.
3. Try relaxing hobbies
Too much screen time increases stress, so picking screen-free hobbies helps. Activities like puzzles, reading, journaling or coloring calm the mind and reduce stress.
Stress does not only make you anxious — chronic stress can damage your blood sugar in several ways. Stress raises blood sugar-boosting hormones, ruins sleep and causes emotional eating. For people with diabetes, chronic stress makes it harder to keep blood sugar in range even with the right diet, as stated by EatingWell. Experts say good sleep, regular movement and relaxing hobbies are powerful tools to control stress and protect long-term health.
FAQs
Q1. Does stress raise blood sugar?
Yes, stress raises blood sugar because it releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline that make insulin work poorly.
Q2. Why is stress bad for people with diabetes?
Stress is bad for diabetes because it causes high blood sugar, poor sleep and emotional eating, making control harder even with a good diet.