Life with diabetes can feel like an endless series of things to worry about, whether it’s physical activity, navigating brunch with friends, or monitoring your glucose levels For many people with diabetes, this can be a source of stress—or even diabetes distress.339
Have you ever felt tired of keeping up with your physical activity? Or felt badly about your self-care? You’re not alone. 33% to 50% of people with diabetes have diabetes distress.340
Watch out for stress—it can affect your glucose levels.
When you’re stressed, hormones can be released that make your glucose levels rise or fall. That same stress can impact your mood and how well you manage your diabetes. Not everyone is affected the same way.340 We’re here to offer you some stress relief tips that you could try.
A great way to stress less is by getting active.
Physical activity can do wonders for your stress,351 in addition to being good for your diabetes self-care.352 You might call it a win-win.
Make moves and stress less.
Studies show that regular aerobic activity reduces stress.
Boost energy and thinking.
Physical activity can also boost your overall energy, focus and cognition.351
Physical activity can also be good for your body.
According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), physical activity can lower your glucose levels both during the workout and for up to 24 hours after. The more you move, the better your body becomes at processing glucose, and your insulin sensitivity increases. For these reasons, the ADA recommends getting 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week.352
Any physical activity, whether it’s aerobic or resistance, will help according to a 2023 update of “The Role of Exercise in Diabetes” in the National Library of Medicine.
In one study, people with type 2 diabetes who got active in different ways had an estimated 0.67% decrease in their A1c. So try what motivates you most, whether it's climbing stairs, biking, or dancing.359
Look into local team sports opportunities, like soccer, tennis, or softball. A routine social activity may encourage you to move more. A research review found that team sports offer a social way to motivate people to improve their fitness and health.
A study of a women’s handball team showed high social and motivational scores compared to a sedentary control group, as well as improved endurance and bone mineral density.360
Getting more active doesn’t have to happen overnight. You can work your way towards your goals, step by step. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends setting only one or two diabetes care goals for yourself at a time.340 For example, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator or checking out your glucose levels.
See the effect of your steps with a continuous glucose monitor (CGM).
If you’re using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) like the FreeStyle Libre system, you can check your real-time reading8 at any time to see the impact of your actions. And as you get to know how your glucose levels respond to your actions, you can make more informed decisions.
In a study, 37% of people with diabetes who used FreeStyle Libre reported engaging in physical activity more frequently. Plus, 92% of users found it easier to manage meal-time glucose.7
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