Stress + Type 1 Diabetes: Why It Matters and How To Reduce It

Managing stress is an important part of caring for your overall well-being when living with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Diabetes-related stress and distress can directly affect how you manage your diabetes and your blood sugars. 

In this guide, we share seven practical strategies to help you reduce your T1D-related stress today and explain why it’s important to make an effort to address it. Your health and well-being matter! It’s time to take care of your mind and body so life with T1D feels less stressful.

Why people with T1D are under so much stress

Everybody experiences stress. It can come from work, like a demanding deadline or a difficult coworker. It can come from home, like paying bills or keeping up with chores. It can come from family, like caregiving responsibilities or a strained relationship. 

And for people with T1D, it can come from disease management itself, like the daily effort of counting carbs, checking blood sugar levels (BGLs) or troubleshooting a stubborn high. At some point, you’ll also get stuck in traffic or deal with any number of smaller, unwanted situations. But if stress is part of being human, what does it mean for someone with T1D?

The impact of stress on T1D management

When the body senses a threat—real or perceived—it reacts by releasing the stress hormones epinephrine (commonly known as adrenaline) and cortisol. These hormones trigger the liver to release stored  glucose (sugar) that your cells can access immediately to respond to the threat.

A spike in blood sugar can be risky for someone with T1D. Without insulin, that extra glucose builds up in the blood instead of reaching your cells. This is called hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar. 

It can happen for many reasons, like after eating more than planned or exercising less than intended. More simply, it happens when the body has excess sugar in its system and doesn’t have enough insulin. This makes stress especially risky for people with T1D because it often goes unnoticed., Persistent stress can make managing blood sugars more challenging, particularly when stress affects your diabetes management. 

Symptoms of high blood sugar include:

• High levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood and urine (ketones)
• Frequent urination
• Increased thirst
• Irritability
• Lack of energy 

Why stress is dangerous for someone with T1D

A stressed person is also less likely to take care of themselves. Since T1D relies heavily on self-care and self-monitoring, skipping that care can lead to complications if left unaddressed. 

Stress can affect:

• Eating habits, including the quality or quantity of food you eat
• How often you check your blood sugar
• Alcohol consumption
• How much you exercise
• Your risk for anxiety or depression, if stress goes unchecked

To be clear, having T1D doesn’t mean avoiding everything stressful. It means understanding the damage unmanaged stress can do to your health. Stress is a normal part of life, and you don’t need to eliminate it entirely. What matters most is how you respond. Occasional stress that comes and goes as circumstances change is typical.

When to talk to a medical professional about your T1D-related stress

Stress that feels constant, overwhelming or hard to manage on your own, however, is worth talking through with a healthcare provider or mental health professional, especially if it starts to affect your ability to manage your T1D.

Signs your stress may be more than typical and worth talking through with a healthcare provider or mental health professional include:

• Feeling on edge, overwhelmed or unable to relax most days
• Trouble sleeping, or sleeping much more than usual
• Withdrawing from friends, family or activities you normally enjoy
• Skipping blood sugar checks, meals or insulin doses more often than usual
• Relying more heavily on alcohol or other substances to cope
• Persistent sadness, irritability or feelings of hopelessness
• Trouble concentrating on daily tasks or work

There is no shame in talking to a mental health professional. Just like physical health, mental health should be upkept and prioritized.

7 ways to address T1D-related stress today

If you aren’t quite there yet or would like to practice techniques at home between mental health appointments, try these seven ways to manage T1D-related stress.

1. Address the source of your stress

This may seem obvious, but it’s a good first step. You may not be able to eliminate the stress entirely, but you can often reduce it. If rush-hour traffic stresses you out, try leaving at a different time or taking a new route. If a relationship is causing tension, look for ways to work through it. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by tasks, try finding a new way to get organized.

2. Exercise

Exercise directly affects blood sugar. Depending on the type, intensity and duration of activity, your blood sugar  may go down, stay relatively stable or even rise. However, if your blood sugar is high and you have ketones follow your diabetes care plan before exercising. Exercise can raise your blood sugar more if you don’t have enough insulin on board.  Physical activity also releases endorphins, which can reduce pain and ease the effects of stress. It supports clearer thinking, which can help you problem-solve without even trying.

Exercise within your limits, listen to your body and monitor your glucose before, during and after activity using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) or blood meter. Find an exercise routine you love! You don’t have to be a runner if it’s not your thing. Try strength training or yoga! There are many exercises to suit different personalities, abilities and preferences.

3. Take deep breaths

When you’re stressed, you tend to take rapid, shallow breaths instead of deep ones. Slow, controlled breathing can help you de-stress anytime. Relax your body, close your eyes and take deep breaths through your belly. Drop your shoulders. If they’re up by your ears, release that tension. Meditation or yoga are great ways to practice deep breathing.

4. Use positive affirmations

Replacing anxious thoughts with grounding statements like “I can handle this” or “this feeling will pass” can make a real difference in how you handle daily stress. Repeating these statements can help you stay steady instead of slipping into a fight-or-flight response. Block out time for daily affirmations. It only takes a few minutes and can make a real difference in setting the tone for managing your day with T1D.

5. Reach out to your circle

Communicate with someone about how you’re feeling, whether that’s a friend, parent, counselor or healthcare provider—or any combination of these. Getting multiple perspectives can be helpful. You may need some verbal processing to work through the daily demands of T1D, and that’s normal. With chronic illness, there is a heavy mental load, so you may need to reach out and talk it through many times. Sharing what you’re going through can help relieve stress, and you may get helpful advice from someone who understands or a reframe you never expected.

6. Use touch

Physical contact can help soothe anxious thoughts that often accompany stress. Whether it’s a hug from a loved one, a massage or time with a pet, touch can create a sense of security and comfort. When stress feels overwhelming, don’t be afraid to reach out to someone. Find those “hugs welcome” friends and don’t let go!

Physical touch has been shown to help:

• Reduce pain
• Decrease anxiety and depression
• Drop stress hormones

7. Write it down

Keeping a journal can help you process how you’re coping emotionally. If something is bothering you, write it down and brainstorm ways to work through it. Writing can relieve stress in the same way talking does, and it can help you recognize when it’s time to seek outside support.

Too much stress isn’t something you have to accept with T1D

Stress is an inevitable part of life, but managing it is essential for people with T1D. Everyone copes differently, and that’s okay. Maybe that’s a daily walk, maybe it’s kickboxing, maybe it’s a session at the local rage room. Find what works for you, and give yourself permission to try a few things before you land on your go-to. 

Stress management techniques should be fluid throughout your life—different things may work for you at different times. What’s important is listening to yourself and acting on your body’s needs along the way! Life with T1D isn’t easy, but it doesn’t have to be that hard.

Ready to connect with a community that understands the weight of T1D? Join our Community Apps. Get it off your chest! You’re not alone in this battle.