What are some strategies for coping with stress related to diabetes basics?
Stress can have a major impact on blood glucose control as it causes an elevation of adrenalin (also called epinephrine) in addition to other hormones. Adrenalin makes one more resistant to the effects of insulin, so no matter if you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes stress can raise the blood glucose levels. One recent study showed that if one can relieve stress the HbA1c can decrease, on average, by 0.5%. The best strategy for relieving stress is to learn how to avoid the emotional upset that may occur. This is easier said then done as it takes time to change the way one reacts to stress. For some people, getting exercise works well. This is particularly helpful for people with diabetes as the exercise directly works against insulin resistance. For many, it also makes the stress less bothersome. For others, the main problem is lack of sleep–the stress keeps people awake and the next day the stressed-out person has difficulty functioning due to lack of sleep. It would be important to di
