Stress Management in Type 2 Diabetes – Easy Tips

Read on to learn more about an Ayurvedic Doctor’s view on Stress Management in Type 2 Diabetes.

Stress is the biggest of all evils. It is like a giant wrecking ball that hits the mind but puts a crack through every cell of the body. It demolishes the wall of immunity, inflates obesity, impairs sleep, fastens ageing, raises the risk of diseases, and aggravates pre-existing conditions, including diabetes.

Diabetes is a common chronic condition that needs lifelong management. Most people think it’s just about avoiding sugar and sugary things, but diabetes management takes much more than that! Many things can worsen blood sugar levels, from reclining on the couch to stressing over.

And it is the increased incidences of type 2 diabetes in proportion to the increasing burden of stress. This has stirred many studies and research on their association. Today, diabetes is an epidemic in India, and so is stress!

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Did you Know?

One in six people with diabetes in the world is from India. 89% of India’s urban population suffers from stress!

An Ayurvedic Doctor’s quote on diabetes

Take it from an Ayurvedic doctor; these statistics are accurate. The number of patients visiting the clinic with a stress-related disorder or complication due to diabetes is increasing by the day.

What’s interesting to note here is that ‘Diabetes and stress is a two-way street‘. The stress hormone cortisone raises blood sugar levels. And diabetes makes you more vulnerable to stress.

Ayurveda has always emphasized addressing and correcting any disorder of the mind or body before it starts impacting other parts. That’s why I have drafted this blog to shed some light on this association and better management methods.

Let’s start with modern-day research highlighting the association between diabetes and stress.

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Quoting Research: Stress and diabetes

There is enough evidence to suggest that stress affects diabetes, both the onset and exacerbation. 

A review on How Stress Contributes to the Development of Type 2 Diabetes discusses the consistent evidence on the link between stress and Type 2 diabetes.

It supports the hypothesis that stress-related factors are a cause of type 2 diabetes. The review further suggested that considering stress management and accessing psychosocial factors may help prevent type 2 diabetes. 

Another article in Pubmed says that stress is a potential contributor to chronic hyperglycemia in diabetes. Stress has major effects on metabolic activity; it releases hormones that elevate blood glucose levels. Stress-induced elevation of glucose cannot be metabolized properly, thus causing more damage!

Stress is a proven parameter in increasing obesity, and obesity is linked to a raised risk of type 2 diabetes. It not only increases the risk of diabetes but also worsens the pre-existing condition. That’s why exercise, mainly walking, is recommended for diabetic patients. 

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Research: Stress Management in Type 2 diabetes.

A 2018 study published in the NCBI quoted that stress management training could improve blood sugar control in people with diabetes. Stress management techniques proved helpful in managing glycated haemoglobin levels.

Another research established that stress management training was associated with a small but significant reduction in blood sugar levels. 

Also Read: Mental Stress and Diabetes

How does stress impact blood sugar levels?

• Firstly, the stress hormone cortisol spikes the blood sugar levels.
• Secondly, stress activates the fat cells, and obesity is a known cause of diabetes.
• Thirdly, cortisol makes it difficult for the pancreas to secrete insulin, which regulates blood sugar.
• Also, stress impacts sleep, which has a direct effect on glucose tolerance.
• Above all, cortisol narrows the arteries throughout the body. Constantly doing this can worsen many complications of diabetes, including diabetic eye disease and kidney disease.

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Ayurveda on diabetes and stress

Ayurveda emphasizes stress management. It says stress prisons the mind and paralyzes the body. It first affects the body by causing oja kshaya (weakened immunity).

A weakened immunity makes one vulnerable to infections and chronic diseases. Prolonged stress in the body can cause long-lasting damage like diabetes or cancer. People at high risk should be particularly cautious about the stressors and take appropriate measures to manage stress. 

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Ten pro-Ayurvedic tips to manage stress

Since most of you might already know the best Ayurvedic tips to manage stress, I will point them out once again:

• Approach the disease with positivity
• Try meditation and mindfulness
• Practice Yoga and pranayama.
• Go for a 30-minute walk every day
• Take frequent breaks at work
• Focus on your diet and sleep
• Add adaptogens to your diet.
• Smile often and try the laughter therapy
• Talk to a counsellor to gain control of your emotions.
• Try herbal medicines like Ashwagandha to control stress.

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 Stress Management: A Powerful Tool for Glucose Control in Diabetes

Stress management proves highly beneficial for glucose control in diabetes patients

1. Significantly reduces HbA1c levels

2. Improves patients’ ability to cope with diabetes-related stress

3. Enhances self-efficacy in managing the condition

4. Boosts adherence to diabetes self-care behaviours

5. Strengthens social support networks, aiding glucose control

6. Decreases perceived stress levels among patients

7. Helps prevent diabetes-related complications

8. Improves overall quality of life for diabetics

9. Offers a cost-effective approach to diabetes management

10. Complements medical treatments for better glucose regulation

This approach shows promise as an effective, non-pharmacological intervention for improving diabetes outcomes.

Conclusion: Stress and diabetes

It can be said with certainty that stress has a significant role in the onset of Type 2 diabetes. Incorporating stress-related factors as a priority in the area of diabetes research could open up better ways of reducing the prevalence and occurrence of type 2 diabetes.

For all the diabetic patients and their caregivers, take it from a doctor, you need to manage the stress right. And that will assure better management of the disease.