Why Can Stress Trigger Diabetes? Here’s the reason

Stressful situations are often unavoidable. However, you should find the best way to deal with it. The reason is, stress is known to trigger diabetes. How are these two conditions related? Check out the full explanation in the following article.

Reasons Stress Can Cause Diabetes

Stress is the body and mind’s way of responding to new or difficult situations. For example, you might feel anxious on your first day at work or worried about tomorrow’s presentation.

When stressed, the body will give a certain response that affects mental and emotional health, and has an impact on body health.

Here are some of the effects of stress on the body that can cause diabetes, including:

1. Causes Hyperglycemia

When you feel stressed, your body releases stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline. These two hormones will provide additional energy to deal with stressful situations.

However, if the amount of these two hormones is high in the body, it will interfere with the work of the hormone insulin. As a result, the body will be in a state of insulin resistance, where sugar cannot enter the cells to be converted into energy.

This condition will cause blood sugar levels to increase or what is commonly called hyperglycemia.

When stress cannot be handled, the glucose in the blood will continue to be at a high level and contribute to type 2 diabetes.

Also Read: 10 Benefits of Kale Leaves, Increase Immunity to Prevent Diabetes

2. Disturbing Bedtime

Stress can cause you to feel tense, anxious, and worried. Not infrequently, stress is also carried over to bedtime. As a result, you will have trouble sleeping at night.

Lack of sleep has a negative impact on health. Sleeping less than six hours per night can interfere with the body’s tolerance to glucose. The body will become increasingly resistant to insulin.

Insulin resistance conditions can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

3. Changing Diet

You’ve heard the term ‘stress eating‘? This is a condition that makes a person tend to consume foods that are high in fat and sugar when stressed.

In the short term, stress can reduce appetite. However, when stress occurs for a long time, the hormone cortisol will increase your appetite and make you crave foods that are high in fat and sugar.

Consumption of foods high in fat and sugar can increase the risk of diabetes. When the body experiences insulin resistance, it is difficult for the body to convert sugar into energy. Consuming sweet foods will increase the sugar level in the body.

Meanwhile, excessive consumption of foods that are high in fat can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Foods that are high in fat will inhibit insulin action so that blood sugar levels will be higher.

Tips for Reducing Stress

Not only causes diabetes, stress can cause many health problems. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to this condition.

Here are some strategies that can be done to reduce stress, including:

1. Exercise diligently

If you’re feeling stressed, consistently exercising can help manage it. A study states that regular exercise can improve mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression.

If you don’t exercise often, you can start by walking or cycling. Choose activities that you enjoy to make this habit last.

2. Reducing Caffeine Consumption

Caffeine is a chemical compound that can be found in coffee, tea, chocolate and energy drinks. These chemical compounds will stimulate the central nervous system.

Excessive caffeine consumption can worsen mood and increase feelings of anxiety. Therefore, you need to limit caffeine consumption below 400 mg or the equivalent of 4 cups per day

Also Read: 7 Types of Exercise that Can Prevent Diabetes

3. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is an activity that encourages your mind to be in the present. This technique can improve mood and reduce stress symptoms.

you can do mindfulness by doing meditation and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT).

You can also practice method iThis is by doing deep breathing. This method can help you focus on your breath and stop bad thoughts from disturbing your feelings.

High levels of stress can affect the body’s work system and encourage unhealthy lifestyles.

If you are experiencing prolonged stress, it is important to find ways to manage stress. Don’t hesitate to seek professional help if you feel you can’t handle it on your own.

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