Dietitians have explained that the greatest danger is chronic stress, because this condition can seriously harm health. Stress is not only a mental state but an experience that affects the entire body. When a person is under stress, the main systems of the body become active. That is why we feel many physical and emotional symptoms.
Medianews.az, referring to lent.az, presents information about this disease:
Acute stress experienced in situations such as forgetting keys or preparing to speak in front of a large audience is a normal and inevitable part of life. However, chronic stress can negatively affect human health. Most are probably familiar with the physical signs of stress: digestive problems, headaches, increased heart rate. But there are also less noticeable symptoms. For example, people suffering from diabetes may feel that it is more difficult to keep blood sugar levels normal during periods of stress.
It is noted that when stress becomes ordinary, it adversely affects blood sugar levels in three main ways:
1. Increases hormone secretion
Stress is not a new condition, but our body's reaction to stress has not changed with modern lifestyle. For example, when the deadline for a work task approaches, the body reacts as if you are running from a wild animal. Dietitian Vandana Sheth stated in the medical journal Cureus that this reaction causes a sharp increase in stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline in the body. As a result of the effect of these hormones, blood sugar levels can rise and insulin hormone function may become difficult. As stress accumulates and hormones rise constantly, long-term problems may arise in regulating blood sugar levels. Chronic high cortisol can lead to the accumulation of visceral fat in the abdominal area. Dietitian Kimberly Rose-Francis wrote in the EXCLI journal that this condition can create resistance to insulin’s effect and increase the likelihood of future overweight, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes.
2. Sleep problems
Because of stress, a person cannot sleep through the night and feels both tired and tense the next day. According to a study by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, about 75 percent of people say that stress sometimes, often, or always prevents their sleep. Unfortunately, poor sleep and stress also negatively affect blood sugar levels.
3. Likelihood of emotional overeating
Many people use overeating as a way to cope with stress. Usually, at such times a person chooses sweet and carbohydrate-rich foods like ice cream, cookies, and chips, rather than salad or low-calorie smoothies. There is a biological reason for this as well. During stress, cortisol is secreted, and this hormone not only increases insulin resistance but also increases hunger and desire for high-calorie foods.
Dietitians say that adequate sleep, physical activity, and engaging in activities you enjoy are among the most effective strategies for coping with stress. These habits help improve both health and blood sugar levels in the long term.
