What Happens to Your Blood Sugar When You’re Stressed

Stress isn’t just in your head. It’s actually a full-body experience. When you’re stressed, every major system in your body is activated, which is why we experience such a wide range of both physical and emotional symptoms. While acute stress, like forgetting your keys or prepping for a big speech, is a normal and often unavoidable part of life, chronic stress can take a toll on your health. 

Most of us are all too familiar with the physical symptoms of stress, like digestive troubles, headaches or feeling like your heart is racing. But there are other symptoms that may be less obvious. For example, people living with diabetes may notice that it is also harder to keep their blood sugar in range during periods of stress. 

What’s behind the connection? To find out, we asked dietitians how stress can wreak havoc on blood sugar, plus the best ways to manage both of them. 

3 Ways Stress Can Impact Your Blood Sugar

Everyone is stressed sometimes. But when stress becomes the norm, it can adversely impact your blood sugar in these ways.

Can Trigger the Release of Blood Sugar–Raising Hormones

Stress is nothing new. It’s been around since the days when our ancestors had to outrun lions and tigers. Trouble is, our body’s built-in reaction to stress hasn’t evolved with our modern-day lives. That means that your body responds to the stress of a looming work deadline the same way it would if you were fleeing a predator. This “fight-or-flight” stress reaction triggers the release of large amounts of stress hormones, like cortisol and adrenaline. As these hormones flood your system, they can raise blood sugar and make it harder for the blood sugar–regulating hormone insulin to do its job, explains Vandana Sheth, RDN, CDCES

Once in a while, that’s no big deal. But when stress piles up and these hormone spikes occur on a regular basis, it can spell trouble for your blood sugar over the long haul. For example, chronically high cortisol levels can encourage the body to store more visceral fat around the abdomen. As that visceral fat accumulates, it creates a pathway that makes it harder for your body to use its own insulin. Over time, this condition, known as insulin resistance, can raise blood sugar and increase the likelihood of developing obesity, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, says Kimberley Rose-Francis, RDN, CDCES.

Often Interferes with Sleep

Stress can leave you tossing and turning and counting sheep all night long. Then, the next day, you end up feeling tired and just as stressed. In fact, nearly 75% of people report that stress sometimes, often or always interferes with their sleep Unfortunately, that vicious cycle of poor sleep and stress can wreak havoc on your blood sugar, too. 

Why? “Poor sleep makes it harder for the body’s cells to respond to insulin, which can raise blood glucose levels,” says Rose-Francis. So, whether you are living with diabetes or looking to prevent it, aim for the recommended seven to nine hours of quality shut-eye each night.

May Lead to Emotional Eating

Stress-eating is a common coping mechanism for many of us. Unfortunately, the foods we tend to reach for when we’re feeling stressed aren’t salads and smoothies. They’re often sugary or carb-heavy comfort foods, like cookies, ice cream and chips It’s not just your emotions overriding your food choices, either. There’s also a biological component driving our cravings for these comfort foods. Remember how stress triggers the release of cortisol? In addition to promoting insulin resistance, cortisol can also increase hunger and cravings for calorie-dense comfort foods. When that becomes a regular event, it can lead to weight gain, a risk factor for prediabetes and diabetes.

Occasional stress-eating is normal. But if it becomes your primary coping strategy, it can also crowd out fiber- or protein-rich foods, which help minimize blood sugar spikes, says Kaitlin Hippley, M.Ed, RDN, LD, CDCES. 

Strategies to Improve Blood Sugar and Reduce Stress

Whether you’re living with diabetes or simply want to keep your blood sugar in check, these expert strategies can help you manage stress. 

• Catch Some Zzz’s: While getting good sleep when you’re stressed is easier said than done, creating a wind-down routine can tell your body that it is time for rest. If you’re having trouble getting the recommended seven to nine hours of nightly sleep, take a bite-size approach by going to bed 15 minutes earlier each night. With time, your body clock will slowly adjust. 
• Embrace Movement: Few things can beat the stress-busting power of physical activity. “Engaging in physical activity you enjoy can boost feel-good hormones like endorphins and serotonin, while also reducing stress hormones such as cortisol,” says Hippley. That’s not all: movement also directly lowers blood sugar levels. You don’t have to sign up for high-intensity workouts to see benefits, either. Walking, weight training or yoga all work.
• Adopt a Hobby: Spending too much time scrolling can worsen stress. So, consider adopting a screen-free hobby like doing puzzles, reading, journaling or coloring. These, or any other activities you enjoy, are an easy way to relax and destress. That sounds like a win-win, if you ask us! 

Our Expert Take 

Stress doesn’t just make you feel tense and anxious. When stress becomes chronic, it can adversely impact many aspects of your health, including your blood sugar. Research has shown that stress may raise blood sugar in multiple ways. In addition to triggering the release of blood sugar-raising hormones, it can also disrupt sleep and lead to emotional eating. And if you’re living with diabetes, chronic stress can make it trickier to keep your blood sugar in a healthy range even when you’re eating the right things. All the more reason to equip yourself with the right tools for managing stress. Habits like getting enough sleep, staying physically active and getting lost in your favorite hobbies are all effective strategies to tame stress for better long-term health, well-being and blood sugar.