Did You Know Exercise Can Raise Blood Sugar? Dr Amir Khan Lists Five Surprising Triggers
Dr Amir Khan highlighted that blood sugar can rise for reasons other than food, sharing five everyday triggers in an Instagram video shared on March 14. The general physician, who works with NHS England and appears on television health segments, said some spikes are a normal short-term response while repeated episodes can have longer-term consequences.
Dr Amir Khan: Five Non-Food Causes Of Blood Sugar Spikes
- Stress
- Poor sleep
- Exercise (particularly intense or resistance training)
- Illness or infection
- Hormonal changes
How Each Trigger Raises Blood Glucose And Why It Matters
Stress prompts a hormonal cascade that raises blood sugar. Dr Amir Khan explains that when you’re stressed, the body releases cortisol—the fight-or-flight hormone—which signals the liver to release stored glucose to provide a quick energy boost. He noted that while this response can be useful in an acute danger situation, chronic stress leads to repeated glucose surges and that is not good for long-term health.
Poor sleep can change how the body handles glucose. One bad night, the physician says, increases insulin resistance so glucose remains in the bloodstream for longer. Over time, chronic sleep deprivation can significantly raise the risk of developing type 2 diabetes even for people who otherwise try to eat well.
Exercise is commonly thought of as lowering blood sugar, but certain types of activity can temporarily raise it. Intense or resistance training prompts the body to release extra glucose to fuel working muscles. Dr Khan emphasized this can be a harmless short-term spike; importantly, regular exercise improves insulin sensitivity over the long term and typically leads to lower overall blood sugars.
When the body is fighting an infection, it releases more glucose into the bloodstream to help fuel the immune system. That physiological response explains why blood sugar can rise during illness even without any change in diet.
Hormonal changes are another everyday factor that can influence glucose regulation. Fluctuations tied to hormones can alter how the body stores and uses glucose, contributing to measurable shifts in blood sugar independent of food intake.
The overall message in the video is that not all blood sugar spikes are the same: some are temporary, adaptive responses while repeated or prolonged elevations carry health risks. Dr Amir Khan used straightforward examples—”Great if you’re running from a tiger, less helpful if you’re just stuck in traffic”—to illustrate the difference between short-term usefulness and long-term harm.
His wider point emphasizes context and management: recognizing non-diet triggers can help people distinguish between benign, transient rises and patterns that merit medical attention or lifestyle change. The physician also noted that long-term habits, such as regular exercise and improved sleep, tend to enhance insulin sensitivity and reduce average blood sugar over time.
For viewers and patients, the takeaways are practical: stress reduction, prioritizing sleep, maintaining consistent physical activity, and managing illness and hormonal changes with medical guidance can all affect blood glucose control. The Instagram video shared on March 14 framed these points as everyday causes many people overlook when thinking about their blood sugar.
