The Hidden Link Between Mental Health and Type 2 Diabetes: What Most People Don't Know.

Type 2 diabetes is not just about blood sugar numbers-- it's also about burnout, anxiety, depression and emotional resilience. Often times mental health symptoms are ignored.

There is a cyclical effect with chronic stress on blood glucose. When we are in a state of chronic stress our cortisol increases, which directly impacts blood glucose. Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands; it is often referred to as the “stress hormone.” Cortisol in the short term helps our body increase alertness, gain energy which raises blood glucose and suppresses our digestion and immunity. This is part of our body is the normal survival mechanism of fight or flight.

People with type 2 diabetes, who have chronic stress and elevated cortisol levels are going to have high blood sugar. Cortisol raises our blood glucose in three distinct ways, 1. Increased gluconeogenesis, when this occurs cortisol signals our liver to produce and release more glucose into the bloodstream. 2. Reduced insulin sensitivity, this happens when our cells become less responsive to insulin. Glucose builds up in our blood instead of entering our cells. And 3. Inhibited glucose uptake. When this occurs our muscles and fat tissues absorb less glucose due to high cortisol levels. Over time, our blood glucose is elevated when fasting, we have post-meal spikes, and it becomes more difficult to maintain our normal glucose range.

When we have chronic stress, this equals chronic blood glucose problems. Psychological stress, poor sleep, pain, overworking, etc. contributes to insulin resistance, fat gain, erratic blood glucose, and high A1C’s. For those with type 2 diabetes this can look like unexplained glucose spikes, energy crashes, fatigue, mood swings, brain fog, anger, frustration and diabetes burnout.

How can we lower our cortisol and blood sugar? The answer is lifestyle changes and increasing self-care that targets stress reduction. This balance will help regulate cortisol levels and blood glucose. Some strategies include, mindfulness exercises focusing on self-compassion, increasing our sleep to 7-9 hours, increasing exercise like walking, using breathwork and relaxation exercises, going to therapy and increasing our social support. Grab a coffee with a friend!

Some key takeaways, cortisol is part of the body’s natural survival system. With chronic stress, we are always “on.” If you have type 2 diabetes or are at risk, understanding and managing cortisol levels are vital to maintaining normal range blood glucose. If you are in need of assistance, contact me for coaching (in the USA) and/or therapy (for CA residents only).