Stress and Blood Sugar

We all know that stress is bad for you, but the consequences of chronic stress are perhaps more far-reaching than you may imagine. Some amount of stress can be good, such as hormetic stress. However, high levels or chronic stress can negatively impact your blood glucose levels, setting you up for diabetes. 

Stress, whether real or perceived, puts your nervous system in sympathetic mode. This is a protective mechanism as this is fight or flight mode. The body switches to a state that prioritizes everything you would need to fight or flee. 

The digestive system is turned off because you don’t need to digest while fighting. Cortisol and adrenaline start pumping, and the vascular system constricts to increase pressure and therefore more blood to the muscles. By the way, when your gaze is fixed, you are in a more sympathetic state which is why I think it’s a bad idea to watch TV while you eat. You will have poorer absorption of nutrients because the digestive system is inhibited. 

Muscles can use either fats or glucose for contraction. Glucose is an easier, and more readily available fuel source, so glucose is liberated into the bloodstream. This is why it raises your blood glucose levels. 

Here is the problem, it’s not like a light switch, either on or off. It’s more of a gradient or spectrum. You can be in a slight sympathetic state. Modern society in the developed world is very conducive to being in a sympathetic state. Most of us are rushing around, are in jobs that are stressful, and working longer hours. On breaks, we hit starbucks to keep up with the demands of work which just stimulates the sympathetic nervous more. All of this leads to chronically elevated blood glucose levels. 

Now the pancreas has to work overtime to constantly secrete insulin to mitigate the onslaught of glucose in the bloodstream. Over years, the cells of the body stop responding as well to insulin, and this is what type 2 diabetes is. Insulin has many roles, and one of them is to build stuff. One of the things it builds is fat cells. Many people think being obese causes diabetes, but it’s really the other way around. So, if you are slowly gaining weight over the years, I would strongly suggest you monitor your blood sugar levels. 

The best way to do this is with a continuous glucose monitor. Then you get to see in real time what causes blood sugar spikes. I have used nutrisense in the past and gained a lot of valuable insights. For instance, the simple act of driving to work consistently raised my blood sugar levels, even though I did not feel stressed, nor was I experiencing road rage. This is an important point, you do not have to feel stressed to be in a sympathetic state. 

I also learned that things like exercise, green tea, and ice baths reduced my blood glucose levels so now I use this as a strategy. For instance, I drink green tea while I drive to buffer the spike. 

I also recommend seeking the parasympathetic state. This can be achieved by any relaxing activity. It could be a walk in the woods, reading a book, laying in a hammock, getting a massage, breathwork, yoga, meditation, tai chi, etc.