Practicing mindfulness — a type of meditation focusing on what you’re feeling and sensing in the moment, without explanation or judgment — can help reduce stress through breathing techniques and other methods by relaxing the body and mind. According to the Mayo Clinic, mindfulness has been shown to reduce pain, anxiety, depression, and even high blood pressure. And according to an article on PubMed, by reducing stress and negative thoughts, improving overall feelings of well-being, and advancing healthier behaviors and lifestyles, mindfulness can help manage diabetes. In this article, we look at five ways that mindfulness can help manage diabetes.
1. Start Each Day With Purpose
Set aside time each day. Take a few minutes each morning to sit quietly. It might be hard to ignore the pets, the kids, the dishes — but beginning the day aware of the tranquility in your mind will get you started on the right foot.
2. Mindful Breathing
Getting ahead of negative thoughts can mean the difference between a good day and a lousy one. Before a negative thought can ruin your mood, sit down, take a deep breath, and close your eyes. Focusing on your breathing for even a minute or two can help, according to Mindful.org. Breathing deeply from your diaphragm can help you slow down and overcome feelings of anxiety.
3. Adjust Your Attitude
When speaking negatively to yourself, ask, “Would I talk to my best friend this way?” Treat yourself the way you would treat a good friend. Cut yourself some slack. Diabetics often feel unnecessary guilt, blaming themselves for their medical condition or even for a high blood sugar reading. Mindfulness can help you avoid self-blame by focusing on how you feel in the moment, stopping your racing mind from having thoughts that may be untrue, such as blaming yourself for your diagnosis. Mindfulness teaches us to be kinder to ourselves.
4. Reduce Stress
Diabetics with chronic stress may be making higher amounts of cortisol and adrenaline in their bodies, and mindfulness may help reduce production of stress hormones, ultimately reducing blood sugar levels. Using a glucose-measuring product like the Eversense® Sensor can help you better control your blood sugar.
Take a short break to calm down, and use the 4-7-8 Mindful Breathing technique — find somewhere comfortable to sit and close your eyes. Breathe in through your nose to the count of four. Hold the breath to the count of seven. Exhale through your mouth to the count of eight.
For an overview of Eversense® Continuous Glucose Monitoring system safety information, please visit www.ascensiadiabetes.com/Eversense/safety-info/. Please visit www.ascensiadiabetes.com/Eversense for limitations, restrictions, references and copyright information.
5. Enjoy the Moment
Image on Flickr by jurvetson
The goal of mindfulness is not to live a life devoid of stress or surrounded by endless calm and quiet. Instead, try to focus on the present without judging yourself or other people. Enjoying the moment means being in a state of openness, realizing you’re not your thoughts. But being aware of your thoughts, and embracing them, letting them evolve naturally without trying to edit or control them, will help you understand the experience.
Remember, mindfulness is not difficult. It takes some effort, but it’s easy to stop and think about what you’re doing. You can be mindful at any random moment. How can you enjoy the moment? Give thanks. Smile. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Enjoy the little things. Perform random acts of kindness.
