Study Links Stress Hormone with Higher Blood Sugar in Type 2 Diabetes

Narrator: Managing her type 2 diabetes is part of Janice Harris's daily routine.

[Text on screen: The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Janice Harris
Patients with diabetes]

Janice Harris: I test probably about three or four times a day now.

Narrator: But it's about much more than just knowing your levels. Dr. Joshua Joseph, an endocrinologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center says there are four important pillars of diabetes management.

[Text on screen: The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Dr. Joshua J. Joseph
Ohio State Wexner Medical Center]

Dr. Joshua J. Joseph: One, physical activity. Two, diet. The third one we talk about is sleep, so making sure individuals get seven to eight hours of sleep per night. And then the fourth one we talk about is stress.

Narrator: It's a critical factor that's often forgotten and loosely understood. Dr. Joseph led a study to examine exactly how stress affects those with type 2 diabetes by measuring their levels of the stress hormone cortisol. 

[Text on screen: Effects of Stress in Diabetic Patients 
According to Ohio State Wexner Medical Center
Cortisol Levels
Glucose Levels]

Narrator: In healthy people, cortisol levels have natural peaks and valleys, but the study showed that diabetics who consistently experience stress or depression had sustained cortisol levels all day long.

Dr. Joshua J. Joseph: When you have a flatter cortisol profile, there is less rhythmicity to your cortisol. And the rhythm of the cortisol over the 24 hours seems to be very important in multiple health outcomes, including diabetes.

Narrator: As a result, it's harder to control their blood sugar.

Dr. Joshua J. Joseph: Anyone with diabetes really needs to manage their cortisol levels, and how do we manage our cortisol levels? We manage the stress, we manage the depressive symptoms.

Narrator: Dr. Joseph is now leading a new research trial examining whether mindful meditation can lower stress in those with type 2 diabetes and in turn their blood sugar, but he says it's important to find what works for you. For Janice, it's taking time for herself to listen to her favorite playlist.

Janice Harris: I'll even listen to music at work, try and listen to music to calm down so that I'm not so out there and my blood sugars are normal so that it's not a problem during the day.

[Text on screen: The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center]