Whether you have been recently diagnosed with diabetes or you have been managing it for a long time, coping with diabetes is always challenging. Counting carbs, following diet, finding a place for next injection, episodes of hypoglycemia or sudden jumps of sugar, CGM sensor that wakes you up at 3 am when all you want is to sleep, all these things sometimes can trigger emotions like grief, anxiety, frustration, and stress. Stress can make it more difficult to control your diabetes as it may throw off your daily routine, can make it harder to stick to the diet, workout, sleep, which in turn can affect blood sugar level.

So let’s figure out the main symptoms of stress and how to reduce it. But first, here is the important thing I want to tell you: experiencing bad emotions and stress in natural response of our body, so it is completely OK to feel it. You should not be afraid of your feelings. The only way to cope with them is to feel them!

Most people experience these symptoms when they are stressed:

• Nervousness
• A fast heartbeat
• Rapid breathing
• Stomach upset
• Depression

You can read about ways to reduce stress in our next post, and remember, you are not alone. Ask for help if you feel you need it. Stress is not super big deal, but feeling it constantly can lead to more challenging things like burnouts and depression.