Stress & DiabetesOBJECTIVE: Explain how stress can aff ect blood sugar; list ways to decrease stress

How do you respond to stress physically?Your body responds to stress by raising your heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and blood sugar levels. Sometimes the symptoms of stress and low blood sugar are similar. Your blood sugar rises to give your brain and muscles energy. This is called the “fi ght or fl ight” response. If energy is not used to fi ght or run away, it can leave you feeling tense or cause headaches.

Stress makes controlling diabetes harder. In a person with diabetes, their “fi ght or fl ight” response does not work like it should. Insulin may not be able to carry the sugar into the cells, so sugar remains in the blood. This causes a high blood sugar and ketone levels may rise. Some people have a drop in blood sugar due to an increased intake of alcohol or skipping meals. The result of stress may be unstable blood sugar and ketone levels. If stress happens often, blood sugar and ketone levels may fl uctuate. Some people are less able to deal with stress when their blood sugar is out-of-control.

Everyone responds to stress in a diff erent way. This is called coping. A variety of methods are needed to cope with diff erent situations. Learning to handle stress in a positive way is an important part of leading a healthy life.

What are some tips for managing stress?• To get a better idea of how you handle stress, keep a record.

Write down what the stress was, how you reacted, how you feltduring and after the stressful event. Did your blood sugar rise?By knowing what causes stress, you will be more in control. Youcan learn what to do to help decrease stressful situations.

• Do less. Are you doing too much at home, work or in thecommunity? Review a typical day or week and make a list ofyour tasks. Set aside some time daily for yourself.

• Examine your thoughts about diabetes and other stressfulevents in your life. Your thoughts can aff ect your feelings andhow you act.

• Stay away from stressful events.

OverviewBoth positive and negative situations can be stressful. Major life stresses, such as illness or a death in the family, are stressful events. Positive and new events like marriage, a new baby or a new job can also cause a stress response. Minor life stresses are the normal pressures of daily life, such as work deadlines, heavy tra� c, phone calls or doctor visits. Holidays and vacations can cause stress. Too much stress can lead to health problems. Stress increases blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. When stressed, the immune system cannot � ght disease well. Reducing stress or coping with it in a positive way, is important.

74037 Rev. 2/27/14CCS Medical openly grants permission for the reproduction of this piece for educational purposes, only on the condition that the piece is in its original formatting with our copyright notice properly displayed. CCS Medical has the right to revoke permission for use at any time. This is intended for general use only. Not intended to constitute medical advice. ©2014 CCS Medical, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

QUESTIONS

ANSWERS

QUIz• Redirect your reaction to stress. Use up the energy

by doing daily exercise. Walking, swimming, bikingand jogging are great ways to release tension andhelp you feel better. Check with your doctor beforestarting any exercise program.

• Learn how to relax. Try meditation, yoga,biofeedback, deep breathing or visual imagery.These activities relieve tension by allowing yourmuscles to relax.

• Massage therapy can be helpful to ease muscletension, improve circulation, lower heart rate andblood pressure. It can relax your whole body.

• Keep your sense of humor. Laughter releasesendorphins and helps to decrease stress levels.

• Support groups are helpful for some people.Sometimes just being with people who haveproblems similar to yours helps to reduce stress.

Talk with your doctor if you need help in fi nding a behavioral health specialist.

1. Your body responds to stress byreleasing hormones that can:a) Raise your heart rate and

blood pressureb) Make your breathing faster

and shallowerc) Increase your blood glucosed) All of the abovee) None of the above

2. The way that a person respondsto stress in a way that is familiaris called ________.

3. True or False: The healthiestapproach to dealing with stressis to avoid stressful events, ifpossible.

1. d

2. coping

3. True