The Critical Role of Stress, High Cortisol, and Poor Sleep in Driving Insulin Resistance, and Practical Ways to Manage Them

While most content on insulin resistance rightly focuses on food, a powerful sub-narrative is emerging from the audience: diet alone is not enough. Viewers are sharing stories of meticulously following low-carb diets and fasting protocols, only to find themselves stuck or even going backward. They are connecting the dots and realizing that chronic stress, poor sleep, and high cortisol are the invisible saboteurs of their metabolic health. They understand the what—that stress and sleep matter—but they are desperately asking for the how: practical, actionable strategies to manage these powerful physiological forces that seem beyond their control.

The core concern is feeling trapped in a vicious, self-perpetuating cycle. Viewers understand that stress and poor sleep raise their blood sugar, but the resulting metabolic chaos—the cravings, hormonal imbalances, and fatigue—in turn worsens their stress and disrupts their sleep. It feels like a catch-22 where every effort is undermined by their own physiology. They are frustrated by generic advice like "reduce stress" and are seeking concrete, non-dietary tools that can help them break the cycle and finally see the results of their dietary efforts.

The most crucial insight from the experts is that managing insulin resistance requires a two-pronged attack: you must manage your diet and your nervous system. The key is to recognize that poor sleep and chronic stress are not just mental states; they are physiological states that keep your body locked in a "fight-or-flight" (sympathetic) mode, which actively drives up blood sugar. The most effective strategies involve techniques that intentionally shift your body into a "rest-and-repair" (parasympathetic) state, allowing cortisol and insulin levels to fall.

Several creators in the sources provided clear explanations and practical strategies for managing stress, cortisol, and sleep as fundamental levers for reversing insulin resistance.

• • Dr. Pradip Jamnadas (on The Diary Of A CEO): He provides the most direct and actionable guidance. He makes the stark claim that "one night of bad sleep you become insulin resistant the next day". He explains that chronic stress, poor sleep, and too much caffeine create an imbalance in the autonomic nervous system, reducing the "rest-and-repair" signals from the vagus nerve. To fix this, he offers practical hacks to stimulate the vagus nerve and promote a calm state, including:
  • ◦ Diaphragmatic Breathing: Inhale for a count of four, and do a long, deliberate exhale for a count of eight for a few minutes daily.
  • ◦ Cold Exposure: Putting an ice pack on the front of the neck stimulates the vagus nerve.
  • ◦ Vibrational Stimulation: Humming, singing, or even laughing causes diaphragmatic movement that activates the vagus nerve.
• • Dr. Benjamin Bikman: He clearly categorizes stress as one of the "fast lanes" to insulin resistance. He explains that the two primary stress hormones, cortisol and epinephrine (adrenaline), both work to push blood glucose levels higher, forcing the body to produce more insulin to compensate. He specifically identifies sleep deprivation as a very effective way to increase cortisol.
• • Dr. Sten Ekberg: He includes stress reduction as a powerful tool to speed up the reversal of insulin resistance, noting that cortisol is a hormone that directly drives both insulin and blood sugar higher.
• • Jessie Inchauspé (Glucose Goddess): She frames fasting as a physiological stressor and warns against layering it on top of an already stressful life, which can cause the body to "freak out" and disrupt hormones. She also connects poor sleep directly to metabolic consequences, explaining that when you're tired, your glucose spikes will be higher the next day.
• • Dr. Eric Berg DC: He lists reducing stress and increasing sleep as key ways to accelerate the process of reversing insulin resistance, alongside diet and exercise.

Tonight, before bed, try the simple breathing exercise recommended by Dr. Jamnadas. Lie down comfortably and for 5-10 minutes, breathe in for a count of four and breathe out slowly for a count of eight. This simple action can help stimulate your vagus nerve, lower cortisol, and improve your sleep quality.

• Mistake: Focusing 100% on diet while ignoring chronic stress and poor sleep.
  Fix: Treat sleep and stress management as co-equal pillars of your health plan, just as important as controlling carbohydrates.
• Mistake: Thinking "reduce stress" is a vague, unhelpful platitude.
  Fix: Use the specific, physiological hacks provided by Dr. Jamnadas. Stress isn't just a feeling; it's a nervous system state that you can actively change with techniques like breathing and cold exposure.
• Mistake: Believing more is always better when it comes to "healthy" stressors like fasting and exercise.
  Fix: Listen to your body. If you are exhausted, not sleeping, and not seeing results, you may be over-stressed. Scale back on intense protocols and focus on recovery first.

• • “I’m a stress eater, I lost 55 ponds on Keto, in 2017 and kept it off since, however I fall off the wagon”.
• • “What if you fast, but your antidepressant keeps your insulin high”.
• • “One thing I wondered about: Visceral fat being down to sugar… This is also possibly because of stress and cortisol. The world is just a whole stress sphere for everyone these days. Could this be another major factor?”.
• • “Hello Dr Berg ! Please cover the topic of reversing cortisol resistance, I am trying to understand this concept”.
• • “When i get stressed with out eating i get spikes and it stays up about 2 hrs afterim not stressed”.
• • “I have a question: I have a high cortisol and insule resistance. I tried keto but gained weight and also tried IF but my body started shaking around 11am. Help would be much appreciated!”.

Diet is the foundation of reversing insulin resistance, but it's not the whole story. The raw comments reveal a massive audience need for strategies that address the powerful and often-sabotaging roles of stress and poor sleep. The expert consensus is that you cannot fix your metabolism without also calming your nervous system. By prioritizing 7+ hours of sleep and incorporating simple, daily practices to stimulate your vagus nerve and shift out of a chronic "fight-or-flight" state, you can break the vicious cycle of high cortisol and high insulin. These non-dietary hacks are the missing piece that can finally unlock the full benefits of your healthy eating efforts.