Doctors’ surgeries across the UK have many people in them showing signs of stress. Economic problems and a lack of work/life balance can all cause us to feel a constant level of distress. Stress isn’t only a physical response, it can affect us mentally and lead to lots of different wellness problems over time. Scientists recently showed how we might be at increased risk of getting diabetes if we suffer from stress.
The positives
Our bodies are designed to help us overcome threats. It does this by stimulating our adrenal glands to release cortisol and adrenalin when we feel threatened. The hormones can increase our heart rate and prepare us to either take flight from the situation or fight the problem. This worked very well for us thousands of years ago, but now our bodies have the same response to perceived threats, whether these involve workplace meetings, bills that require paying or worries over family. When we constantly experience these worries and our minds induce a stress-response, we can get severe physical and mental health problems.
Diabetes
During the University of Gothenburg study, 7,000 men were monitored to check their rates of stress and diabetes. Those who said they suffered from permanent stress had a 45 per cent increased chance of getting type 2 diabetes. The scientists controlled for activity, age and high blood pressure, meaning these did not account for the figures. The results could stem from the actions of cortisol, which encourages our bodies to release more sugar into the bloodstream. Eventually this could result in insulin resistance, which is a major factor in type 2 diabetes. Experts point out that we can help our body process cortisol more efficiently by being more active, and this could also take our minds of stressful situations. Doctors can give us more tips on de-stressing so we can protect ourselves from health conditions related to stress.
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