It might be something you traditionally associate with stress reduction, like meditation, yoga, or soothing breathwork exercises. Maybe it’s spending time in nature or cuddling up with your pet. It could also be something creative, like playing music or painting. Or maybe it’s a hobby like reading or playing a sport.
Whatever helps you chill out, treat it like an important lifestyle habit—meaning it deserves just as much dedication as eating a balanced breakfast. And, just so your stress-busting habit doesn’t feel, well, stressful, Dr. Leung advises starting small. “Start with just five minutes a few times a week and work your way up until you can establish a routine,” she says.
4. Prioritize sleep, even when it feels hard.
As with exercise, quality sleep is even more foundational to your well-being when you’re living with diabetes. One of the kindest things you can do for your mind and body is to set yourself up for success the next day by putting sleep first. If you’re well-rested, you’ll likely feel more clear-headed and motivated to take care of yourself during the day by making choices that support your diabetes care, like having the energy to exercise or choosing foods that are better for your blood sugar, according to the CDC.
Not only that, but sleep deprivation—usually defined as regularly getting fewer than seven hours a night for most adults—can impact hormones involved in glucose metabolism, Licalzi explains. For instance, lack of sleep can make your body more resistant to insulin, which means insulin (produced naturally or injected) is less effective, resulting in higher blood sugars.
Whenever you can, do your best to treat your sleep like the necessity it is, not a luxury. Focus on maintaining a consistent sleep schedule (like waking up and dozing off around the same times each day), practicing good sleep hygiene (like setting a cutoff time for scrolling on your phone), and ideally getting seven to nine hours of sleep a night. This, of course, can be easier said than done—especially if you work a shift job or have caregiving responsibilities, for example—but incorporating even a few soothing presleep habits into your routine as consistently as possible can help set the stage for deep rest.
5. Ask for the help you need from the people you love.
Self-care can sometimes involve the people closest to you too. For instance, you can ask your friends, family, or partner for practical support as you adopt new lifestyle habits and get used to diabetes treatment. If they’re up for it, “enlist your loved ones to help you with diabetes-related tasks, from cooking, to having a gym buddy, to having someone who knows what to do if you have a hypoglycemic event,” Dr. Leung says.
This can also include stating what you don’t need and setting boundaries. “Don’t be afraid to request people not to hound you about your diabetes treatment regimen,” Dr. Leung says. If your spouse keeps getting on your case about, say, what you’re eating, you can gently remind them that it’s something you’re actively discussing with your doctor or dietitian, or explain to them how their comments make you feel and why it’s not helpful—and what could help support you in your journey instead.
6. Find your community.
Again, you don’t have to do this alone. Diabetes can be isolating and overwhelming—and finding connection with people like you is the antidote. Local and virtual communities for people with diabetes can help you feel seen, understood, and held, which in itself is deeply nourishing. “It can help you feel less alone,” Licalzi says.
Plus, working through your own challenges and toward your own diabetes goals with “support, accountability, and encouragement from others embarking on a similar journey” can even help you with making—and sticking to—lifestyle changes in the long run, Licalzi says. You also get to learn about what works for other people and be inspired by their progress.
