Pro Cheer Health: Things That Affect Your Blood Sugar Levels

Being a pro cheerleader can be physically demanding, particularly during endurance training and workout sessions. The hours you put into practicing acrobatic stunts and jumps during games and performances can be exhausting. That is why maintaining blood sugar levels is essential for every athlete. It gives them adequate energy for various activities throughout the day.

When your blood sugar levels drop too low, you’ll have lower energy and experience several uncomfortable symptoms, such as fatigue and dizziness. Meanwhile, having too much sugar in your blood can lead to exhaustion or worse (diabetic coma), especially when left untreated. A balanced diet of carbs, fats, and protein can help provide you with the necessary energy to keep up with the demands of pro cheerleading.

However, your food choices aren’t the only ones affecting the sugar levels in your blood. Here are five other factors that cause blood sugar swings that you should know.

1. Physical activity

While physical activity is an excellent boost to your health, it also causes significant changes in your blood sugar levels. How it affects the sugar in your blood depends on the duration and intensity of your workout. For instance, high-intensity training and weightlifting can raise the glucose levels in your blood due to the release of adrenaline. On the other hand, most aerobic/cardiovascular exercises will make your blood sugar drop by making your body more sensitive to insulin. And the more strenuous your workout, the longer it affects your sugar levels.

2. Dehydration

Speaking of intense exercises, sweating during workouts causes your body to lose fluid. And if you don’t replace those lost fluids when you sweat, it can lead to dehydration. When you’re dehydrated, the sugar in your blood circulation becomes more concentrated, which results in hyperglycemia or high blood sugar. Unfortunately, high blood sugar also causes you to urinate more, which leads to even more dehydration.

3. Sports drinks

Most pro cheerleaders and athletes often turn to sports drinks to help replenish lost fluids quickly. However, the problem is that some of these drinks contain as much sugar as soda, and drinking them increases blood sugar levels significantly. Sports drinks may be a better option for longer, more intense workouts. That said, water is more than enough to counter dehydration.

4. Lack of sleep

Lack of sleep is another factor that can impact blood glucose levels. It hurts more than your mood and energy, especially if you have diabetes. When you’re sleep deprived, it increases your insulin resistance, thus causing a rise in blood sugars. Plus, restless nights also alter the regulation of hormones, which are supposed to help maintain blood sugar levels.

5. Menstrual cycle

Not only does menstruation causes uncomfortable symptoms, but it also involves hormonal changes that may cause blood sugar levels to get a little out of whack. That means when your progesterone levels are naturally higher, you may experience a spike in blood sugar due to insulin resistance. When you’re on your period, it may help to trim down your carbohydrate consumption and engage in moderate exercises.

Conclusion

Ultimately, various factors can cause a rise and fall in your blood sugar levels besides your diet choices. As a pro cheerleader, you’ll need all the energy you can get. These five factors are closely related to your career and as a woman. Knowing their effects on your blood sugar levels allows you to overcome such challenges, which can help improve your energy and health in general.

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