If you’re a college student, you know the end of the semester is a ROUGH time. Final exams, projects, papers, last assignments and whatever else you have going on in life. For me, the ending includes a lot more insulin due to increased stress levels. Learning how to adjust my insulin needs to compensate was something that was incredibly important for me. In undergrad, I would often take exams at an elevated number and not perform my best. I never (and honestly still don’t but that’s beside the point) got accommodations for having T1D. This truly can put you at a disadvantage - the fact of the matter is, we perform best in a specific range (personally I prefer to be no lower than 80 and no higher than 140 for exams), because I start to think less clearly below/above that range. If you want to be as successful as you possibly can, my advice is to get the accommodations and strive to figure out a strategy that works for you most the time. In addition, get your workouts in! Exercise can greatly reduce stress and anxiety levels, give you more energy, increase mental processing, and lower a high blood sugar. :)
The clinicians at Integrated Diabetes Services cover stress management with all patients. If you would like help finding a strategy that works for you, give us a call at 610-642-6055 or email info@integrateddiabetes.com.
Author : Kathryn Gentile, ACSM-CEP, EIM II CPT, CSN
