Diabetes and Reducing Stress

Lots of things cause stress to the body - a hard day's work, family life, extra activities. One thing we notice as diabetics is that stress can cause our blood sugars to do some pretty whacky things. Mine, for instance, skyrockets out of my normal range and it's very difficult to bring back into range. This not only makes you tired just from being stressed, but even more so because your body is working twice as hard because it knows something's wrong. There are several things I do to help relieve stress and get my numbers back in line to make myself as healthy as I can be during stressful periods.

One of my favorite things to do is to get a good workout. Whether it be from Zumba, turning on the Wii Fit and doing some punches, or just taking a walk outside, activity is a great way to get your mind off of things around you and just work it out physically. It's a plus as well because as all diabetics know, activity is a great way to bring down blood sugars, as long as you are healthy enough to do so. So, put on some music and dance a little while!

Another great thing to partake in is art. Whether it be drawing, painting, sculpting or whatever you can do creatively, you can channel your stress through your art. It doesn't have to be great works like Van Gogh or anything, just your expression of your feelings in art form. Go to a quiet room (which, I know can be hard to do), pull out some markers and paper, turn on some relaxing music, and let your creativity flow. Of course, doing this can induce sleepiness sometimes, so be sure you can lay everything aside just in case the sandman decides to visit for a while.

What do you do to reduce your stress? Do you partake in an activity or do you do something else? Share your ideas and comments below.