Most people know that poor diet and lack of exercise can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. But fewer people are aware that stress might also play a big role.
Scientists are now finding that long-term stress doesn’t just affect your mood—it can also change the way your body handles blood sugar, which may raise your risk for type 2 diabetes.
When we feel stressed—whether from work, family issues, financial problems, or trauma—our bodies respond by releasing stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones are helpful in the short term because they prepare us to deal with danger.
They raise blood sugar levels to give us energy and keep us alert. But if stress lasts too long, these hormones can stay high in the body, causing harm instead of helping.
Studies have shown that high levels of cortisol over time can make it harder for the body to respond to insulin, the hormone that helps move sugar out of the blood and into cells.
This condition is called insulin resistance and is a key step in the development of type 2 diabetes. If the body becomes insulin-resistant, blood sugar levels stay high, and the risk of diabetes increases.
In a large study from Sweden published in 2017, researchers followed more than one million men for over 25 years. They found that those who had high levels of stress in early adulthood were 45% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life.
Another study from the Netherlands found that people with symptoms of depression and anxiety—both closely linked to stress—were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
Stress can also lead to unhealthy habits that raise diabetes risk. People under chronic stress are more likely to eat sugary or fatty foods, skip exercise, smoke, or drink too much alcohol.
These behaviors can add up and increase weight gain, another strong risk factor for diabetes. Some people also sleep poorly when stressed, and lack of sleep has been shown to affect blood sugar control and appetite hormones.
Researchers have even discovered that stress can cause inflammation in the body, which may damage insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. This damage may reduce the body’s ability to produce insulin and keep blood sugar at healthy levels.
The good news is that managing stress may help lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Studies suggest that people who use relaxation techniques like mindfulness, deep breathing, or yoga may have better blood sugar control. Support from friends, family, or mental health professionals can also help reduce stress levels and improve overall health.
In summary, stress is more than just a feeling—it has real effects on the body. Chronic stress can raise blood sugar, change hormone levels, increase inflammation, and promote unhealthy habits. All of these factors can raise the risk of type 2 diabetes. Understanding and managing stress is an important step toward staying healthy and preventing disease.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about diabetes and vitamin B12, and the right diet for people with type 2 diabetes.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how to eat smart with diabetes, and turmeric and vitamin D: a duo for blood pressure control in diabetic patients.
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