Be A Blood Sugar Sleuth

Next time a reading is off and you can’t figure out why, take a look around – the culprit could be right under your nose. These seven factors can all impact BGLs in surprising ways

- Jessica Migala

1 You’re bogged down by stress

Whether it’s “bad” stress (you’re unhappy in your job, your child is struggling in school or you’re caring for an ageing parent) or “good” stress (you’re getting married, moving or planning a holiday), your body responds in a similar fashion.

“Rising levels of the stress hormone cortisol can contribute to insulin resistance and may also affect other hormones related to blood [glucose] management,” explains Nicole Bereolos, certified diabetes educator, clinical psychologist, and a Diabetic Living USA adviser. “The end result is that there’s more [glucose] in the blood, and your cells are not using insulin as well as they normally would. It’s a double whammy.”

You can’t scrub stress out of your life completely, but you can work on changing how you respond to it. A session with a behavioural health specialist (in-person or virtual) can help you develop strategies and coping techniques for day-to-day stress. If you’re feeling overwhelmed in the moment, try belly breathing: expand your belly as you inhale and contract it as you exhale. With regular practice, this technique may help lower cortisol levels and lessen the negative effects of stress.

2 You logged a terrible night’s sleep