Stress impacts both sleep hygiene and metabolism

Stress is interwoven with our daily lives, which is why it’s important to find ways to reasonably manage it.

Being in a constant state of stress directly impacts your glucose levels^3,4 and sleep quality since the constant presence of stress hormones, such as cortisol, can cause your body to produce more insulin. That can make your glucose levels rise and fall at a more unpredictable and frequent rate, which isn’t ideal since this unstable state is connected to long-term health effects and could potentially lead to chronic diseases like diabetes or heart disease.^3,5

Speaking of cortisol, which is one of the stress hormones in your body: High levels have been linked to insomnia, waking up at night, and less overall time asleep.⁶

While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for decreasing stress, there are some easy methods you can try.

• Create a relaxing sleep environment. Blackout curtains, an eye mask, or a white noise machine could make a difference for your sleep quality. To prevent your brain from associating your sleeping space as a productivity space, avoid working in your bedroom.
• Don’t stare at your screen before bed. It’s ideal to stop looking at screens for at least an hour before bedtime. That’s because the blue light they emit can suppress melatonin (a sleep hormone) production, which can interfere with your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle.⁷ You’ll also avoid doomscrolling, which has been associated with anxiety and stress.⁸
• Get into a routine. Familiarizing your brain with a pattern of winding down appropriately at the same time each day can help decrease stress. For example, you could take a hot shower, listen to two chapters in an audiobook, and then turn in for the night. Don’t forget that waking up at the same time each day counts as part of the routine too — and so does sunlight exposure, since that helps your body regulate your circadian rhythm.

Don’t forget to get enough sleep

Your body may be more likely to experience glucose spikes and dips when you don’t have good sleep hygiene.⁹ If you’ve felt sleep deprived before, you know what it’s like to have fluctuating energy.¹⁰ Maybe you craved starchy foods, like potato chips, and how you felt put you at risk of overeating (which would’ve caused even more fluctuation in your glucose).¹¹ The cycle continues when you’re continually tired, which is challenging since adults are recommended to get between 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night.¹²

The tips above are a good start for improving your sleep hygiene, and if you’re having long-term issues with sleep, it's recommended that you talk with your physician. Outside the doctor’s office, though, biowearables like can help you connect the dots between your glucose levels and your sleep quality as you make adjustments to your habits.

Sleep. Glucose. Metabolism. It’s all connected. And when you’re connected to your body with a biowearable that provides data and insights, you can put, “Is this working for me?” to rest and start learning about what habits have a real effect on your health and wellness.

References

¹ Gangwisch, J. E., Hale, L., St-Onge, M. P., Choi, L., LeBlanc, E. S., Malaspina, D., Opler, M. G., Shadyab, A. H., Shikany, J. M., Snetselaar, L., Zaslavsky, O., & Lane, D. (2020). High glycemic index and glycemic load diets as risk factors for insomnia: analyses from the Women's Health Initiative. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 111(2), 429–439.

² Davis, R., Bonham, M. P., Nguo, K., & Huggins, C. E. (2020). Glycaemic response at night is improved after eating a high protein meal compared with a standard meal: A cross-over study. Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland), 39(5), 1510–1516.

³ Sharma, K., Akre, S., Chakole, S., & Wanjari, M. B. (2022). Stress-Induced Diabetes: A Review. Cureus, 14(9), e29142.

⁴ Chu B, et al. Physiology, Stress Reaction. [Updated 2022 Sep 12]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Available from:

⁵ Onyango A. N. (2018). Cellular Stresses and Stress Responses in the Pathogenesis of Insulin Resistance. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity, 2018, 4321714.

⁶ Hirotsu, C., Tufik, S., & Andersen, M. L. (2015). Interactions between sleep, stress, and metabolism: From physiological to pathological conditions. Sleep science (Sao Paulo, Brazil), 8(3), 143–152.

⁷ Arshad, D., Joyia, U. M., Fatima, S., Khalid, N., Rishi, A. I., Rahim, N. U. A., Bukhari, S. F., Shairwani, G. K., & Salmaan, A. (2021). The adverse impact of excessive smartphone screen-time on sleep quality among young adults: A prospective cohort. Sleep science (Sao Paulo, Brazil), 14(4), 337–341.

⁸ Salamon, M. (2024, September 1). Doomscrolling dangers. Harvard Health Publishing.

⁹ Tsereteli, N., Vallat, R., Fernandez-Tajes, J., Delahanty, L. M., Ordovas, J. M., Drew, D. A., Valdes, A. M., Segata, N., Chan, A. T., Wolf, J., Berry, S. E., Walker, M. P., Spector, T. D., & Franks, P. W. (2022). Impact of insufficient sleep on dysregulated blood glucose control under standardised meal conditions. Diabetologia, 65(2), 356–365.

¹⁰ Breymeyer, K. L., Lampe, J. W., McGregor, B. A., & Neuhouser, M. L. (2016). Subjective mood and energy levels of healthy weight and overweight/obese healthy adults on high-and low-glycemic load experimental diets. Appetite, 107, 253–259.

¹¹ Chang, K. T., Lampe, J. W., Schwarz, Y., Breymeyer, K. L., Noar, K. A., Song, X., & Neuhouser, M. L. (2012). Low glycemic load experimental diet more satiating than high glycemic load diet. Nutrition and cancer, 64(5), 666–673.

¹² National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (2022, March 24). How Much Sleep Is Enough?