Post Time: 2025-07-18
High blood sugar levels can be a pressing concern for individuals without diabetes. It's not just about the numbers on your glucometer; it's about how these fluctuations impact your overall health.
Maintaining a healthy diet is crucial in regulating blood sugar levels. Foods that are high in fiber such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains help stabilize blood sugar by slowing down its absorption into the bloodstream (10). On the other hand, foods with high glycemic index like white bread and sugary drinks can cause sudden spikes in blood sugar levels.
In addition to diet, regular physical activity also plays a significant role in regulating blood sugar levels. Exercise increases insulin sensitivity allowing glucose to enter cells more efficiently (5). However, it's essential to monitor your body's response to exercise as some individuals may experience an initial increase in blood sugar due to the release of stress hormones like adrenaline.
Stress is another factor that can significantly impact blood sugar levels. When we're under stress, our bodies produce cortisol and other hormones that raise blood sugar levels (3). While short-term exposure to these stressors may not have significant effects on blood sugar regulation, prolonged periods can lead to insulin resistance – a condition where the body's cells become less responsive to insulin.
Getting enough sleep is also essential in regulating blood sugar. Research has shown that chronic sleep deprivation can disrupt glucose metabolism and increase inflammation (9). As such, prioritizing adequate sleep should be part of your overall strategy for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.
Supplements like berberine, chromium, and cinnamon have been found to improve insulin sensitivity and lower blood sugar levels in individuals without diabetes (11). However, it's essential to consult with a healthcare professional before adding any supplements to your diet. A balanced approach that incorporates dietary changes, regular physical activity, stress management techniques, adequate sleep, and nutritional support may be the most effective strategy for maintaining healthy blood sugar ranges.
Maintaining Healthy Blood Sugar Ranges: Common Mistakes and Misconceptions
When managing high blood sugar levels without diabetes, it's essential to avoid common mistakes that can worsen the condition. One such mistake is relying solely on supplements or medications without making significant lifestyle changes (18). Another error is neglecting the importance of meal timing in regulating blood sugar levels – eating large meals too close together can lead to peaks and dips in glucose levels.
Ignoring sleep quality also hinders your ability to maintain healthy blood sugar ranges. Poor sleep has been linked with increased inflammation, insulin resistance, and impaired glucose regulation (15). Furthermore, neglecting regular physical activity or relying on prolonged periods of intense exercise can have counterproductive effects – such as suppressing appetite and potentially lowering cortisol levels.
When it comes to diet management, overlooking the role of fiber in slowing down carbohydrate absorption is a common mistake. Foods high in added sugars like processed snacks and sugary drinks must be limited (4). Similarly, not considering individual insulin sensitivity or meal timing can lead to ineffective strategies for managing blood sugar ranges.
Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels without diabetes requires patience, discipline, and the right knowledge. By understanding your body's unique response to diet and physical activity, incorporating stress management techniques into daily life, prioritizing sleep quality, and avoiding common mistakes – you'll be on track towards achieving a healthier balance in your glucose regulation system.
The Science Behind Normal Blood Sugar Ranges: Understanding Insulin Sensitivity
Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels relies heavily on insulin sensitivity. This refers to the ability of cells within the body to take up glucose from the bloodstream when it's present (7). Improved insulin sensitivity allows for more efficient use of glucose by various tissues in your body.
On the other hand, poor insulin sensitivity leads to reduced uptake and accumulation of excess glucose in fat deposits – a hallmark characteristic associated with developing type 2 diabetes. Stress, sedentary lifestyle, high blood pressure, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and sleep apnea are just some factors that can contribute to decreased insulin sensitivity.
Focusing on specific nutrient profiles may also improve insulin function by increasing glucose uptake in cells while minimizing the impact of inflammatory processes within your body. Maintaining adequate weight for age through a healthy diet, regular physical activity, or other interventions is one strategy you could consider implementing daily (14).
Understanding and optimizing factors that influence blood sugar ranges helps prevent chronic conditions like diabetes type 2 when maintained long-term without any negative consequences on glucose homeostasis.
The Impact of Stress on Blood Sugar Levels: Causes and Consequences
Stress has a multifaceted relationship with your body's physiological state. When you experience high levels of stress, the release of various hormones contributes to elevated blood sugar (13). This typically includes cortisol – often referred to as 'the stress hormone'.
While short-term fluctuations might not cause significant health issues for most individuals without diabetes when managed effectively through other lifestyle choices like better eating habits or more regular exercise routines; however, persistent exposure can disrupt normal metabolic functions within your body leading towards increased susceptibility toward developing pre-existing conditions including prediabetes & obesity related insulin resistance syndrome etc.
To mitigate stress-related changes affecting blood glucose levels consider activities such as practicing yoga regularly reducing work hours maintaining supportive relationships engaging in leisure time reading doing daily meditation all these simple actions contribute positively influencing hormone profile keeping an eye on overall well-being too!
Achieving and Sustaining Healthy Blood Sugar Ranges: What You Need to Know
To successfully manage high blood sugar levels without diabetes, it's essential to approach the situation comprehensively – by incorporating knowledge about diet management along with effective strategies like regular exercise patterns combined alongside smart stress coping mechanisms plus prioritizing quality sleep each day always remembering everyone is unique requiring careful analysis before implementing these suggestions tailored best fit your needs.
The bottom line here emphasizes individualized assessment prior adopting any new habits allowing continuous growth toward desired outcomes through gradual progress monitoring health markers carefully over time thus enabling successful long-lasting solutions leading towards lasting success with bettering daily life quality significantly improving well-being all-around positively impacting both mental emotional & physical aspects alike.
This episode I describe the biology of two essential hormones we all make: cortisol and adrenaline (also called epinephrine). Cortisol and adrenaline powerfully regulate our levels of energy, focus and immune system function. I describe various science-supported tools and practices to increase or decrease cortisol and/or adrenaline, depending on one's specific needs and goals. I also describe the biology of nootropics, and how cortisol and adrenaline can improve or degrade learning. Finally, I review the scientific data and tools for timing the release of these hormones to improve memory, energy and immune system function. #HubermanLab #Science #ImmuneSystem Thank you to our sponsors InsideTracker - Athletic Greens - Headspace - Supplements from Thorne Social & Website Instagram: Twitter: blood sugar 138 in the morning Facebook: TikTok: LinkedIn: Website: Newsletter: Links: Intermittent Fasting & Growth Hormone Mechanism: Habitual Coffee Drinking & Changes In Brain Connectivity: Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:05:41 Energy & Your Immune System, & Learning Faster 00:08:34 Why & How Intermittent Fasting Increases Growth Hormone 00:11:56 Why Your Stomach Growls 00:13:09 Hot Baths & Hormones 00:14:35 Energy, Adrenaline (Epinephrine), & Cortisol 00:15:48 Cortisol & Cholesterol, Competition With Testosterone & Estrogen 00:17:54 Adrenaline (Epinephrine) Is Your (Immune Systems) Best Friend 00:18:48 Cortisol Basics In Two (Actually 1) Minute/s 00:19:48 Adrenaline Basics what to eat to keep blood sugar down In Two Minutes 00:21:32 Tool: Time Your Cortisol Peak To Waking Using Specific Light Intensities 00:27:20 Brief Increases In Cortisol & Adrenaline Boost Energy, Focus & Immunity 00:30:04 Ways To Increase Adrenaline, Epinephrine & Cortisol & Why That Is Good 00:35:00 Does Mindset During Stress Matter? 00:36:15 Protocols: Adrenaline Breathing Described 00:39:00 Practices To Increase Energy Without Increasing Stress 00:45:00 Using Stressors to ENHANCE Our Immune System: Science & Tools 00:55:11 Timing Thyroid Release For Energy 00:57:02 Adrenaline/Stress Increase Performance & Memory. IF They Are After Learning 01:02:45 An Optimal Learning Protocol 01:03:20 Coffee Changes Your Brain & Increases Connectivity Of “Anxiety Circuits” 01:05:43 Nootropics: Two Kinds, & How & Why They Work, “Neural Energy” 01:09:00 Biology of Comfort Foods: From Negative to Positive Feedback Loops 01:14:00 Bombesin: Energy Without Eating 01:15:00 How Stress Makes Our Hair Gray, & How To Prevent Stress-Induced-Graying 01:18:05 Blunting Chronic Cortisol, Including: Ashwagandha & Science Of 01:25:50 Licorice Increases Cortisol & Blood Pressure, & Reduces Testosterone (by Glycyrrhizin) 01:28:50 Apigenin: Anti-Cortisol 01:29:53 gluco renew blood sugar support Protocols For Optimizing Energy & Immune System Function (& Learning) 01:37:00 When Fasting, Exercise, Cold & Intense Breathing Become Detrimental 01:39:00 Prescription Compounds 01:39:47 Tools For Accessing Alert & Calm States of “Energy”: Separating The Brain & Body 01:42:11 Ways To Apply Knowledge Presented Today 01:43:20 No-Cost Ways To Support Us, Feedback, Sponsors, Patreon, Partners, “Office Hours” The Huberman Lab Podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user’s own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions. Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac -