Many people think of blood sugar as only a food issue, but stress plays a major role as well. Cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone, helps regulate blood sugar by increasing glucose availability when the body perceives stress or danger. This was helpful in short bursts from an evolutionary standpoint, but in modern life, chronic stress can keep blood sugar unstable far more often than it should.

When blood sugar drops too low overnight, the body may release cortisol and adrenaline to raise it, which can trigger night waking, restlessness, sweating, or a racing mind. Sleep problems are often blamed on stress, hormones, or poor habits alone, but blood sugar is another major factor that deserves more attention.