Whether or not you are diabetic or prediabetic, do you keep healthy snacks close at hand to help curb appetite and keep blood sugar stable? What smart dietary change have you made lately? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
As we age, we tend to point to hormonal shifts as the cause of mood swings, low energy levels, and just about any other change we experience in this era of our lives. But if you’re wrestling with feelings of anger and sadness that you just can’t explain or extreme fatigue, diabetes could be the culprit.
You probably already know that diabetes can have a major impact on your physical health, but you may not be aware that your blood glucose levels can impact your mood too. Many people living with diabetes also battle stress, depression and anxiety as they struggle to manage this disease.
Furthermore, you may have diabetes and not know it.
“Most people who have Type 2 diabetes do not develop symptoms for 7 years,” Dr. Alyson Myers, associate professor for the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, explained. “The body compensates for the elevations in blood sugars, which is why screening is so important.”
If you are experiencing unexplained mood swings, see your doctor to have your blood glucose levels checked.
And if you are one of 38.4 million Americans who have been diagnosed with diabetes, know that it is possible to keep this chronic condition in check and keep it from wreaking havoc on your mental health.
Blood Sugar Levels & Mood Swings
As your blood glucose levels swing up and down, so can your mood.
If you have diabetes, you should be tracking your glucose levels regularly as part of your diabetes management plan. Blood glucose targets vary from person to person and can depend on age, other health conditions, how long you’ve had diabetes and more. The American Diabetes Association recommends these general target ranges:
- ·80-130 mg/dL before you eat
- 180 mg/dL or lower one to two hours after you eat
When your blood glucose levels are high you might experience a wide range of emotions including:
- ·anger
- nervousness
- sadness
- tension
- fatigue
“Your body has to do extra work to get rid of all this extra sugar and it can cause your body to feel very fatigued and tired,” Dr. Alyson Myers said. Also, you may find yourself urinating frequently as your body is trying to flush out the glucose – which could interrupt your sleep and thus increase your fatigue.
“We know that fatigue and sleep deprivation can lead to worsening of mood,” Dr. Myers said. It becomes a vicious cycle!
Low blood sugar levels can be just as problematic because your brain needs glucose for energy and fuel. Feelings you might experience include:
- confusion
- irritability
- nervousness
- tiredness
“You're speaking but you're not making sense,” Myers said, describing a severe response to low blood sugar. “You may get very irritable and irritated because your body is saying, ‘I need to eat. I need to get sugar.’”
Myers has even seen patients suffering from low blood sugar become belligerent with doctors and nurses.
“In states of low glucose, you can definitely be out of your mind,” she said. “And even when your sugars are really, really high, I've seen people who are quite delirious, and they won't remember what happened. It's scary.”
Furthermore, studies show that one in four people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes deal with diabetes distress, the emotional distress that results from living with diabetes that can be caused by the stress of daily management, worrying about possible long-term complications, the financial burden of diabetes care and dealing with the stigma of diabetes.
Manage Diabetes, Manage Your Mood
There’s no way to sugar coat this – managing diabetes can be hard. But it doesn’t have to be! The best way to keep diabetes from disrupting your mood and mental health is to keep your diabetes under control with proper nutrition and by leaning on your healthcare team for support. But you can’t get this support if you haven’t gotten a proper diagnosis. This is why it’s important to have your A1C and blood glucose levels checked regularly.
If you think high blood sugar is causing your mood swings you may be tempted to skip meals to regulate your glucose levels. This is not the move you want to make!
“Skipping meals can often lead to overeating later,” Dr Myers said. “So skipping meals in persons with or without diabetes is not recommended. We recommend that persons with diabetes eat every 4-6 hours.”
A better move is to move your body!
Several studies have shown that exercise can boost your mood, but movement can help you manage your diabetes too.
“Exercise is a great way of getting your glucose down,” Myers said. Check your health insurance to see if it provides benefits for gym memberships or personal training.
SilverSneakers, for example, is a free fitness program available to adults over 65 who are enrolled in select Medicare plans.
Don’t let diabetes stop you from living your best life!
Whether or not you are diabetic or prediabetic, do you keep healthy snacks close at hand to help curb appetite and keep blood sugar stable? What smart dietary change have you made lately? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
