Things that can increase blood sugar

When it comes to blood sugar control, many people focus solely on food.

However, it's not just food, but factors like stress, sleep, physical activity, illness, and hormonal changes that can strongly influence blood sugar levels.

According to Mr. Amir Khan, an expert of the UK National Health Service (NHS), many other factors in daily life can cause high blood sugar that are not related to diet.

These factors can disrupt glucose metabolism and increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes if not properly controlled.

Correctly identifying the cause is an important first step to adjusting your lifestyle accordingly, according to health site TheHealthSite (India).

If sleep deprivation occurs frequently, no matter how healthy the diet is, the body is still at high risk of metabolic disorders and type 2 diabetes.

Illustration: AI

Stress

The body responds to stress by releasing the hormone cortisol, which prompts the liver to release stored glucose to provide immediate energy for reactive activities.

When stress is short-lived, the body can quickly rebalance. However, if the stress persists, cortisol levels remain high for a long time, which causes blood sugar to remain high.

Lack of sleep

Sleep plays a role in regulating many important physiological functions, including the ability to metabolize glucose. A night of sleep deprivation can also make the body more resistant to insulin, meaning that blood glucose is not absorbed into cells effectively. Sugar therefore tends to accumulate in the blood for longer.

According to Mr. Khan, if sleep deprivation is repeated regularly, no matter how healthy the diet is, the body is still at high risk of metabolic disorders and type 2 diabetes.

Quality sleep should be maintained for a minimum of 7 to 8 hours each night to protect metabolic function.

Overtraining

Regular exercise is one of the most effective ways to control blood sugar and increase insulin sensitivity.

However, high-intensity exercises such as weight lifting, sprinting or resistance training can increase blood sugar levels immediately after exercise.

The reason is that the body needs a quick energy supplement to respond to activities, thereby releasing more glucose from the liver into the blood.

However, according to Mr. Khan, this is only a temporary change. In the long term, regular exercise helps increase the ability to use insulin, support stable blood sugar control and reduce the risk of metabolic disease.

Hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle

For women, hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle can also affect glucose metabolism.

During the luteal phase of the cycle, progesterone hormone levels increase, decreasing insulin sensitivity.

Dr Khan says many women in their 40s and 50s experience symptoms such as fatigue, weight gain and lack of clarity.

These symptoms are related to hormonal changes in blood sugar. Maintaining a gentle exercise regimen, proper nutrition, and adequate sleep can help reduce these effects.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nhung-dieu-co-the-lam-tang-luong-duong-trong-mau-185250805232054396.htm