It often comes hand in hand with financial difficulties, losing your job, pressure at work, moving house, coping with young children, problems within personal relationships or the loss of a friend or relative. This type of stress often causes irritability, headaches and problems sleeping. More seriously, stress can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease and ulcers. The mere fact of having to deal with diabetes in your life can be stressful in itself, especially if you're still learning how to cope with it. If you are under stress you might find that looking after your diabetes becomes less of a priority and this can worsen the situation.
Some people have a tendency to turn to food during stressful times.
Others may lose their appetite. In addition, when life is hectic, regular meals and healthy eating are often abandoned in favour of convenience foods. Any changes to your eating patterns will have an effect on your blood glucose levels and this is another way in which stress can have a knock-on effect on your diabetes control. As a person with diabetes it is important that you realise the potential effects of stress on your health and take steps to reduce the level of stress in your life where possible. Stress and hypoglycaemia Acute stress can evoke some of the symptoms of a low blood glucose level and sometimes an anxiety attack can be mistaken for a hypo.