I’m sure you may have heard that a person’s mental health directly affects his physical health. For example, chronic stress may cause body pain or increased blood pressure.
But think about it the other way around, can your physical illness affect your mental health? Some experts think that’s okay.
There is evidence that your blood sugar levels and
Anxiety
There is a connection between
. When your body can’t maintain a stable glycemic index, it can cause you stress and worry, among other symptoms.
Furthermore, the link to many of the mood disorders diagnosed with diabetes, such as depression and anxiety, is worth exploring. Understanding what causes low blood sugar may also help reduce your anxiety and stress.
The link between hypoglycemia and anxiety
About 20% of people diagnosed with diabetes are more prone to anxiety. So not only can managing a long-term condition like this cause a lot of stress and anxiety, but how it affects your blood sugar can also affect your mood.
What the hell is going on here? New Concept Psychologist
Professor Rong Xinqi
Explain as follows:
First, if you’re worried and stressed, your body releases stress hormones that raise or lower your blood sugar.
And then, a 2016 study showed that eating high-carb foods can affect our mood, which also has a lot to do with your glycemic index (GI).
When you eat high GI foods, such as white rice and sugar, the body quickly absorbs glucose and energy into the bloodstream. In response, you then release large amounts of insulin to compensate. Sometimes, insulin drops too much, causing low blood sugar.
Finally, your body may release adrenaline from low blood sugar, which can lead to mental health problems such as anxiety.
What are the symptoms?
When you learn about the symptoms of low blood sugar and anxiety, you can see the symptoms they have in common, while also noticing the ones that make them unique.
Low blood sugar
Here are some common symptoms of low blood sugar: confusion, palpitations, tremors, fatigue, excessive sweating, anxiety, hunger, anxiety attacks.
Anxiety
Everyone may experience anxiety symptoms differently. However, the most frequent signs include: confusion, palpitations, tremors, fatigue and weakness, hot flashes, upset stomach, and dry mouth.
Is it stress or low blood sugar?
Symptoms of anxiety can mirror symptoms of hypoglycemia, and it can be difficult to identify which is which. If you start feeling anxious, it’s a good idea to check your blood sugar and treat if it’s low, so you should see your anxiety improve; if not, it’s best to talk to a professional about how you’re feeling.
What causes low blood sugar?
If you have not been diagnosed with diabetes, hypoglycemia is less common. However, it can be caused by the following reasons:
Drugs: Drugs such as metformin are used to treat diabetes, but are also used to treat conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and weight gain, so you’re taking Watch out for symptoms of hypoglycemia.
Alcohol: Drinking alcohol causes the body to produce glucose, but doesn’t tell the body to store it for later use, lowering blood sugar in the days following drinking.
Sickness: When you’re sick, your body uses more glucose than it takes in, causing blood sugar levels to drop too low.
Hormonal: A hormonal imbalance can cause the adrenal glands to produce more insulin, which can lead to less sugar in the blood.
Tumors: Tumors that form in the pancreas, also called islet cell tumors, can affect the amount of sugar in the blood.
How can anxiety and low blood sugar be prevented?
1. Diet and Exercise
When you start exercising, you take an important step in managing anxiety and low blood sugar. Exercise isn’t always about weight loss. It has also been linked to maintaining weight, improving mood, and managing health.
A 2020 research review shows that exercise can improve anxiety symptoms by regulating body chemicals and reducing inflammation, allowing the brain to better process emotions.
If you’re new to regular exercise and don’t need to spend hours at the gym, you can start slowly. Your goal is to get 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week, which is a little more than 20 minutes per day. Ways to achieve this may include: brisk walking, playing basketball, football, dancing, jogging, yoga, etc.
When it comes to diet, there is some evidence that following dietary considerations can help reduce anxiety: vegetables, fruits, sugar restriction, refined grains, and more.
If you have diabetes, your goal should be to get half of your daily calories from carbohydrates, according to the CDC. So, if you’re eating 1,800 calories per day, about 900 calories should come from carbohydrates.
If you’ve been suffering from low blood sugar, consider counting your carbs each day to make sure you’re getting the food you need. If you’re not sure, you and your doctor can discuss how many carbohydrates you should eat at each meal.
2. Monitoring
If you’ve been suffering from low blood sugar, consider counting your carbs each day to make sure you’re getting the food you need.
Similar monitoring can help keep track of other nutrients you need, such as protein and fat. Also, a meal tracker or food diary helps to understand what you eat and how your body uses it by breaking down your nutrients.
It is also important to keep regular checkups with your doctor. They will want to monitor your symptoms of anxiety and hypoglycemia to rule out any other underlying conditions, such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and diabetes.
3. Psychotherapy
Professor Rong emphasized that everyone feels anxious at some point. However, when your symptoms persist and start to affect your daily life, you may need treatment to help manage them.
Working with a professional counselor or psychotherapist can help you identify and modify your thinking, as well as identify the triggers that trigger your symptoms.
If a mental health issue is causing your low blood sugar, talking to them can help you learn to adjust to your life and better manage your symptoms.
References:
·Aucoin M et al. (2021). Eating and anxiety: A scope review.
·Aucoin M et al. (2016). Generalized anxiety disorder and hypoglycemia symptoms improved with dietary modifications.
·Corcoran C et al. (2022). Metformin.
·Diabetes and mental health. (2021).
·Hu S et al. (2020). Beneficial effects of exercise on depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic: a narrative review.