I'm sure most everyone here knows that stress can really alter ones blood glucose(BG). There are many articles about such maters, including this one http://http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/complications/stress.html. What I'm really wondering though, is how do you deal with this stress and keeping BG's in line? I've been going through a lot as of late, and I cannot keep my BG regulated. On top of everything, with BG's being everywhere but normal, I start to get aggravated. How do you all combat this? Do you? I was just curious like always. =)
Real life diabetes has lots of mud in it.
Compartmentalizing our emotions, being aware of the subtle signals, tensions, breathing exist. If under stress you SHOULD have screwy readings!!! Rewiring our reactions, reducing their effects... very possible.
One bite at a time. Only one bite, one tiny piece... and you can work on it. Diabetes is not a fairy tale... give yourself some time. Find your patterns, then act
Stuart is correct. It is flight or fight with stress. Either way it raises glucose readings, so it is just test and correct--follow patterns. Oh, and take a moment to breathe deeply...
Years ago, big time stress made me crash--that is the scariest. Just keep testing.
Additionally, I used to teach stress reduction--it always strikes people as corny, but relaxation, massage, white noise can really help. A good nights sleep can go a long way towards relieving stress
And of course, diabetes relieves stress.... ;>)
Exercise helps me blow off a lot of steam. I have a pretty stressful job (claim adjuster...) and a 14 year old (eek). I also have a very "Type-A" personality. I started a lunchtime yoga class on Tuesdays @ work and the afternoon after that is the most chil time of the week, it feels really good to move in a kind of different manner, unplugging from my desk/ phone/ computer(s), etc. Even a walk around the neighborhood can pick things up. One of my friends is a psychology prof. who has worked on studies showing that exposure to green space, even narrow, urban greenspace, can have benefits too.
That's what I love about cycling, especially living in a rural area. No phone, no interruptions, open country . . . peace.
I Agree that exercise helps to lower general stress levels in life. I’ve also found that during times of specific predictable elevated stress levels I was better able to keep it in check by timing my basal doses with it in mind. For example recently I spent a month at a training program and found myself spiking in the evenings mostly due to stress, but also possibly because my night time lantus dose was fading in the evening hours-- taking the dose at dinner time instead seemed to help balance things
That's a very powerful idea, anticipating stressful events beforehand and using that knowledge to adjust basal timing. Good tip!
Exercise, yoga, meditation and lots of self positive affirmation, among others I do when stressed. Indeed stress and anxiety contributes to bg going haywire. Simple things that helps me relax such as gardening, spending time with pets (yes, those fuzzy animals pets with paws, fins or wings), and spending time with a love one also helps...