How Does Diabetes Affect Mood and Stress

Having diabetes puts you at risk of significant health issues.  Heart and chronic kidney disease, nerve damage as well as vision and hearing loss can be health complications of the disease. But it is not only physical health that can be affected by diabetes. There is some research that points to a potential relationship between mood and blood sugar. While more research is needed, in a review of studies published up to May 2019, some indicated a potential association between glucose variability and mood.[1]

Medical News Today cites[2] several symptoms of low and high blood sugar that might affect someone’s mood.

Symptoms of low blood sugar levels that may affect mood:

• confusion
• nervousness or anxiety
• hunger
• difficulties with coordination, concentration, and decision making
• aggression, irritability, and impatience
• personality and behavioral change

High blood sugar levels can cause the following symptoms that may affect mood:

• difficulty seeing or concentrating
• feeling unwell
• feeling tired or having low energy

Stress impacts diabetes

In addition to the usual stress you feel over work, finances, family issues and more, the additional challenge of managing your chronic illness daily can cause even more stress. Daily diabetes self-care includes glucose testing, foot care, exercise, dietary changes/food preparation, and taking multiple medications.

Dealing with a life-threatening illness such as diabetes can cause depression, which results in poorer health outcomes. Stress can lead to unhealthy behavior, including poor eating habits or smoking, which can result in high blood pressure, heart disease and obesity. These conditions can make managing your diabetes even more challenging. [3]

When you are under stress, your body releases hormones that can cause blood sugar levels to increase. That is why you will want to track when you feel stressed and how it affects your glucose levels to see what kind of patterns emerge. If you notice your glucose level is high when you are feeling stressed about something or some time of the day or week, you can take special steps to lower your stress during these periods and keep your glucose under control. [4]

Tips to manage stress 

While some level of stress will always be with you, there are ways to manage and reduce it.  Here are some tips: [5]

Try to remain positive:  It is easy to focus on the negative when things challenge or trouble you. But it is important to find good in each area of your life. Focusing on the good can boost your spirits during the bad times.

Talk to your health care providers about your feelings:  Once you acknowledge your distress, talk to your doctor, nurse, diabetes educator and any other health care providers who are part of your care and treatment. They can help problem-solve your concerns and may suggest other health care providers who can help.

Talk to friends and family:  Your friends and family can be a great source of help in relieving stress. Be open with them about your feelings and let them know when you need them to help you.

Exercise Daily: Exercise is a great way to reduce stress. The American Diabetes Association recommends getting 150 minutes of exercise a week.

Try meditation: When you meditate you focus your attention and clear your mind of thoughts to give you a sense of calm and peace and achieve balance.

Taking care of yourself and managing diabetes requires following your care plan and paying attention to what you are feeling, so that you can choose healthful ways to deal with changing moods and stress.

[1] Muijs LT, Racca C, de Wit M, Brouwer A, Wieringa TH, de Vries R, Serné EH, van Raalte DH, Rutters F, Snoek FJ. Glucose variability and mood in adults with diabetes: A systematic review. Endocrinol Diabetes Metab. 2020 Jul 14;4(1):e00152. doi: 10.1002/edm2.152. PMID: 33532604; PMCID: PMC7831227. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7831227/

[2] Felman, Adam, “How does diabetes affect mood and relationships,” MedicalNewsToday, November 30, 2022. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317458?slot_pos=article_1&apid=&rvid=ff3682c0a5d675812854b627ce67e3a674b2214cecc85119663fda21af511fda

[3] Lewis, Krystal M., PhD, “Helping Patients with Diabetes Manage Stress,” National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases,” September 16, 2020.  https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/professionals/diabetes-discoveries-practice/helping-patients-with-diabetes-manage-stress

[4] Purdie, Jennifer, “Stress: How It Affects Diabetes and How to Decrease It,” healthline, July 21, 2022. https://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes-and-stress

[5] WebMD Editorial Contributors, “Managing Stress When You Have Diabetes,” WebMD, February 21, 2021. https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/managing-stress