• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2026 Survey »

stress

Pinkfluff

Newbie
Messages
4
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Other
Does anyone else find their blood sugar seems to be affected by stress more than food sometimes? I've noticed my readings can be higher on stressful days even when I eat the same meals. Has anyone else experienced this, and if so, what helps you manage it?
 
Does anyone else find their blood sugar seems to be affected by stress more than food sometimes? I've noticed my readings can be higher on stressful days even when I eat the same meals. Has anyone else experienced this, and if so, what helps you manage it?
Most definitely- there are many more things that affect blood sugar besides food, some we can’t control - food is one of the things we can so another reason to have a lifestyle that is good for your BG that you can maintain long term
 
Definitely, stress increases my readings and being poorly too. Not much I can do other than try and de stress which does not help most of the time and as for illness, I just ride it out. I can normally tell by my readings when I am ticking along nicely as they stabilize.
 
Stress does it for me too - but then I am a real stresshead with a stressful life, so I'd expect it.
 
Does anyone else find their blood sugar seems to be affected by stress more than food sometimes? I've noticed my readings can be higher on stressful days even when I eat the same meals. Has anyone else experienced this, and if so, what helps you manage it?
Yes, it's a really well known effect. Basically your liver (in response to stress hormones) goes into overdrive to keep you supplied with fuel/glucose. As it's a hormonal response there's little you can do other than reducing the stress or reducing the liver's overall ability to make glucose through something like metformin or alcohol.

Slide below is a CGM from someone who had nothing to eat but had a really stressful day: the green Xs show firstly getting news that a family member had been in a car crash, and then visiting in hospital.
 

Attachments

  • slide 11 stress copy 2.jpg
    slide 11 stress copy 2.jpg
    76.6 KB · Views: 6
Back
Top