Stress hormones can raise blood sugar. You can manage stress levels and your mental health to help manage diabetes.

If you’re experiencing stress or feeling threatened, your body reacts. This is called the fight-or-flight response.

During this response, your body releases adrenaline and cortisol into your bloodstream, and your breathing rate increases. This can also raise blood sugar levels.

Beyond the direct glucose effect, stress can also lead to longer-term problems that arise from higher blood sugars, wearing you down mentally and physically, and making diabetes management more difficult.

Stress can affect people differently. The type of stress you experience can also impact your body’s physical response.

This applies to people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, and other types of diabetes. Mental health and psychosocial issues (related or not to diabetes) can affect blood sugars and diabetes overall, and vice versa.

When people with diabetes experience mental stress, they generally experience an increase in their blood glucose levels. People with T1D may have a more varied response. This means that they can experience either an increase or a decrease in their blood glucose levels.

A global survey by the International Diabetes Federation in late 2024 found that 77% of 1,880 people with diabetes experienced anxiety, depression, or another mental health issue related to their condition. In particular, the research delved deeper into what affected mental health the most:

  • 83% cited the fear of developing diabetes complications
  • 79% experienced diabetes burnout, often because of daily demands and the strain of diabetes management
  • 58% experienced diabetes stigma and discrimination
  • 55% referenced a fear of needles

Notably, 75% of people pointed out that diabetes burnout led them to stop or interrupt their management and treatment, because of stress or feeling overwhelmed.

The survey also highlighted a need for more support from the medical community: 3 in 4 people with diabetes wanted more emotional and psychosocial support from their healthcare team.

For people with T2D, this 2023 case study indicated that both age and stress can be contributing factors to developing the condition.

Some research also notes that higher levels of stress may physically affect your body, impacting insulin resistance and obesity and possibly contributing to the development of T1D or T2D.

Keeping track of additional information, such as the date and what you were doing when stressed, may help you determine what’s causing that stress.

For example, do you always experience stress on Monday mornings?

If so, you can keep track of stress levels, possible lifestyle factors at those times, and how your blood sugars respond. If you notice that your glucose is regularly higher than your target range, your mental stress may be a reason for that.

That information may help you take special steps on Monday mornings to lower your stress and keep your glucose in range.

Journaling

Use a written log or mobile app to track your blood sugars, stress levels, and other relevant food or medication info.

Sometimes, the symptoms of stress are subtle, and you may not notice them.

Stress can affect your mental and emotional well-being and impact your physical health. Recognizing the symptoms can help you identify stress and take steps to manage it.

Physical symptoms of stress include:

Stress may also cause you to feel:

It’s also common for stressed people to engage in behavior that may be out of character, including:

  • withdrawing from friends and family
  • eating too much or too little
  • acting out in anger
  • drinking alcohol to excess
  • using tobacco

It’s possible to lessen or limit the stressors in your life. Here are a few things you can do to manage the effects of different forms of stress.

  • exercise regularly
  • practice relaxing activities such as yoga or tai chi
  • practice mindfulness techniques such as meditation
  • avoid known stressors, such as high-stress social situations
  • reduce caffeine intake
  • spend time with loved ones

Try This Healthy Habit

Add short, meditative sessions or small workouts to your daily routine.You can also find a friend or join an exercise group to support you in ways best suit your personality and lifestyle needs.

If you’re feeling stressed about your condition, know that you aren’t alone. You can connect with people online or in your community for solidarity and support.

1. Online support

Online support groups can offer helpful tips and a strong community to help you cope. For example, Diabetic Connect is an online resource that seeks to improve your quality of life. It provides articles, recipes, and informative videos.

2. In-person diabetes meetups

Sometimes described as “support groups,” these traditionally have had a more clinical approach where people get together in a healthcare setting or professional space to share their stories about life with diabetes.

Over the years, that’s been replaced by “diabetes meetups.” These are often viewed as more informal, casual get-togethers between friends in the community—people who “get it” without any healthcare professionals or industry people in the room.

These may happen anywhere, from restaurants, bars, and coffee shops, to open spaces and parks, people’s homes, and beyond.

Local diabetes organizations, including the American Diabetes Association and Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF), may be helpful in connecting you with others in the Diabetes Community. For women with diabetes, DiabetesSisters offers nationwide meetups and in-person groups throughout the country.

3. Professional mental health therapy

You may feel more comfortable talking with a professional about your stress.

A therapist can provide coping mechanisms tailored to your situation and give you a safe environment to talk. They may also provide medical advice that online or in-person support groups can’t offer.

Don’t be ashamed to ask for help

People with diabetes may feel stigma tied to mental health therapy and professional support.

There’s nothing to be ashamed of in seeking support from a qualified medical professional. Diabetes burnout and stress can take a toll on mental health and diabetes management overall, and a mental health professional can best guide you forward on addressing those personal, very individualized parts of your life.

You are not alone.

Physical and mental stress can trigger the release of adrenaline and cortisol into the blood. These hormones can cause blood glucose levels to rise.

Unexpected peaks in blood glucose levels may negatively impact a person’s diabetes management and lead to adverse symptoms. But knowing stress triggers and practicing stress-reduction techniques may help people manage these occurrences.