Diabetes affects the metabolism and may damage nerves, eyes, kidneys, and other organs. Any type of stress is harmful to people with diabetes as it increases the blood sugar level. Stress can be managed by meditation as it helps achieve a peaceful mind and good health.  

Meditation helps diabetic patients by minimizing stress, reducing blood sugar levels and decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. A 10-15 minute meditation helps in reducing your stress and keeps your blood sugar level in check. This article further discusses how to manage diabetes with meditation in detail. 

What is Meditation?

Meditation or Dhyana is as ancient as the Earth and practised all around the globe. It is a technique of focusing on breathing or a chant for a specified period. A 10 minute guided meditation works like an elixir for the body and is the perfect antidote to the hectic modern-day lifestyle. 

A 10-minute meditation aids with managing depression and can be helpful in depleting autoimmune responses. It also helps in achieving a peaceful state of mind and calmness of body. For meditation, you don’t need any special equipment or changes in your lifestyle. Devoted time and constant practice are a must. Diabetic people may better manage blood sugar by practising meditation.

How To Manage Diabetes With Meditation?

Here are some ways in which 10-15 minute guided meditation helps in managing diabetes:

• Meditation regulates body systems that control blood glucose levels and balance insulin production. 
• It relieves psychological and bodily stress. Relieved stress results in better control over emotions and the corresponding physiological reactions.
• Meditation helps in balancing neurohormone mechanisms that decrease levels of specific stress hormones. This activates insulin resistance and restores insulin homeostasis.
• Meditation may also assist in decreasing cell-damaging oxidative stress responsible for insulin resistance and high blood glucose levels in your body.
• It helps boost immune system functions. 
• It reduces the inflammatory response that helps drive the disease process and is common in people with type 2 diabetes.
• Meditation also manages side effects of diabetes such as depression, sleep disturbance, poor circulation, immune dysfunction, etc.
• Meditation can improve the quality of sleep.

Types of Meditation

Three important forms of 10-15 minute meditations could be an answer for how to manage diabetes. Here’s how meditation helps a diabetic patient: 

1. Mindfulness Meditation   

Mindfulness meditation involves focusing all your senses on the present and making yourself aware of the present moments of life. It promotes living your life to the fullest. It is practised by developing awareness in your life and accepting an open attitude. 

It helps in reducing stress hormones such as epinephrine, cortisol, and norepinephrine and reducing blood pressure. Your awareness of the present will help you deal with stress and remain calm in challenging scenarios in your life, which is the primary cause of blood sugar fluctuation. 

Process:

• Sit straight and close your eyes.
• Start focusing on your breathing pattern.
• Try to practice this 10-15 minute meditation twice a day.

2. Transcendental Meditation

Transcendental meditation helps in achieving restfulness. It reduces fatigue and tiredness, which is common in people with diabetes and provides a feeling of freshness. It may help diabetic patients control their blood glucose levels, reduce insulin resistance, and lower blood pressure.

In this 10 minutes guided meditation, a silent mantra is repeated in mind. The sound of the mantra helps in focusing your attention and calming the mind. The mantra is generally a syllable but can be a phrase. ”Aum” or ”Om” is a universal mantra that helps calm your mind.

Process: 

• Choose a soothing mantra for yourself
• Straighten your spine and sit comfortably
• Close your eyes.
• Repeat the mantra for 10-15 minutes and gradually increase the timing.

3. Moving Meditation

Moving meditation involves simple rhythmic movements in a flow to focus and centre the mind and achieve a meditative state. Moving meditation has various forms such as yoga, tai chi, aikido, etc. 

It comprises various specific poses or bodily movements with deep breathing patterns. The poses and breathing patterns help relax, reduce stress and soothe your mind and body. 

Process:

• Slowly start 20-30 minutes of moving meditation at least two times a week. 
• You can choose the best moving meditation for yourself according to your body and physical fitness.

This is best done under the guidance of a trainer.

Above mentioned mediation techniques help you combat stress and soothes your brain activities. Along with your doctor prescribed medications, diet and lifestyle modifications, meditation will further act as an adjunct to control your blood sugar level, improve the insulin response. . All you need to do is practise 10-15 minute meditation regularly with a dedicated mind.  

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