Type 2 Diabetes Meditation
Meditation has been around for thousands of years and remains integrated into many cultures worldwide. In today’s fast-paced digital world, taking time out of each day to slow down and self-reflect is easier said than done. But when practiced consistently, meditation can help people with type 2 diabetes in several ways, some more unexpected than others.
Plenty of people practice meditation and yoga in times of emotional turbulence, such as the end of a relationship or the death of a loved one. Others seek to achieve a sharpened awareness of themselves through practice by achieving inner clarity and the relaxation that comes with it. Other people begin their meditation journeys after researching ways to manage chronic illnesses, such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
Regardless of the reason for dipping your toe into the practice, meditation can provide a fresh set of tools for dealing with the stresses of adults daily life. When it comes to meditation and diabetes, there is evidence that meditation can help manage the condition, keeping us healthy, focused, and motivated.
What Is Meditation?
The purpose of meditation isn’t to become a new version of yourself—it’s to help you build awareness about your thoughts, feelings, and physical body as they exist in the current moment. In some forms of meditation, you pay special attention to the stream of thoughts flowing through your mind in the present moment, observing them without judgment. Awareness leads to understanding.
A fresh perspective lets you navigate the world with renewed appreciation. Meditation is a skill. Like any other muscle, you need to exercise it diligently and regularly. But meditation doesn’t have to be a painful process. Meditation sessions are a comforting time of day for many, a much-needed break from the rapid currents of everyday modern life.
It’s important to remember that mediation doesn’t require a commitment to a new lifestyle. You can ease into the practice and adapt it in ways that work for you. Keep in mind that meditation for diabetes is simply another tool at our disposal to stay healthy.
What are the types of meditation you can use?
Three different types of 10-15 minute meditations can help manage diabetes. A diabetic patient can benefit from meditation in the following ways:
Movement Meditation
Simple rhythmic motions in a flow are used to focus and center the mind and attain a meditative state in moving meditation. Tai chi, yoga, aikido, and other kinds of moving meditation are examples.
It consists of a variety of poses or bodily motions along with deep breathing patterns. The positions and breathing patterns aid in relaxation, stress reduction, and mental and physical well-being.
Method:
- Begin by committing to 20-30 mins of movement meditation at least twice a week.
- Depending on your physique and general stamina, you can find the perfect moving meditation for you.
- It's ideal to do this with the help of a trainer.
Meditation for Mindfulness
Mindfulness meditation includes focusing all of your senses on the current moment and becoming aware of your surroundings. It encourages you to live life to the utmost. It is exemplified by cultivating awareness in one's life and adopting an open mindset.
It lowers blood sugar, hypertension and reduces stress chemicals like adrenaline, cortisol, and norepinephrine. Your current awareness can aid you in dealing with stress and remaining calm in difficult situations in your life, which is the leading cause of high blood sugar fluctuations.
Method:
- Close your eyes and sit up straight.
- Begin to concentrate on your breathing rhythm.
- Try to do this meditation for 10-15 minutes twice a day.
Transcendental Meditation (TM)
Transcendental meditation assists with anxiety and restlessness. It relieves fatigue and tiredness, which are frequent among people with diabetes, and gives a sense of well-being. It has the potential to aid diabetic patients in controlling blood glucose levels, reducing insulin resistance, and lowering hypertension.
A quiet mantra is repeated during this 10-minute guided meditation. The mantra's tone might help you focus your attention and relax your mind. The mantra is usually a single syllable, although it can sometimes be a phrase. The mantra "Aum" or "Om" is a universal one that might help you relax.
Method:
- Make up a calming mantra for yourself.
- Straighten your back and take a comfortable seat.
- Close your eyes for a moment.
- Repeat the chant for 10-15 minutes, increasing the time each time.
Which type of meditation is the best for type 2 diabetes?
Meditation for Diabetes Control: Understanding the Many Ways Meditation Can Help
Many people are interested in managing type 2 diabetes with meditation and yoga. Meditation can help you look after diabetes and other chronic conditions in a couple of ways, whether directly or indirectly. The practice of meditation has a wide-reaching impact, with the ability to affect you emotionally and physically. Let’s take a look at how meditation can suit your individual needs.
- Enhanced self-awareness
Many forms of meditation are centered around awareness and acceptance. The ability to take a step back from the stresses of daily life and re-evaluate situations helps you forge a sense of inner peace and well-being. More concretely, self-awareness can guide your behaviors, helping you reduce unhealthy habits and develop the self-discipline to keep healthy ones.
- Better stress response
The body has a built-in stress response system that mobilizes your resources in the face of danger. It does this by triggering the release of hormones, which set off a chain of biochemical reactions in different target locations within your body. Chronic stress occurs when these hormones are released over a prolonged period of time. For people with diabetes, stress is a problem because it increases blood glucose levels. Research shows that regularly meditating improves the body’s stress response, slowing heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and likely reducing blood sugar levels. Some of the beneficial effects of meditation for diabetes and other cardiovascular diseases are due to an improved stress response.
- Improved sleep
Good quality rest is one of the most essential sources of energy for the human body. If you have common diabetic symptoms, you may sleep for 8 hours and yet feel exhausted, weak and tired. The kind of rest that your body gets through regular 20-minute meditation practice, on the other hand, is far deeper—research suggests that it may be equivalent to a healthy 6 hours of sleep. Regular meditation, in fact, reduces the urge for an extensive amount of sleep to achieve enough rest. A person who meditates can often sleep for 6 hours and then go about their day productively.
Many people with diabetes have trouble sleeping due to frequent urination, restlessness, and sleep apnea, among other issues. Lack of sleep can activate the body’s stress response system, which we already know is problematic. Meditation has been shown to improve the quality of sleep, letting you go through your day feeling refreshed and productive.
- It can reduce oxidative stress
According to studies, yoga and meditation can considerably reduce oxidative stress in patients with type 2 diabetes, by up to 20%. The gap between free radicals and antioxidants inside the body causes oxidative stress. Insulin resistance, diabetes, neuropathy, and other vascular problems are all linked to oxidative stress. Elevated concentrations of antioxidants (glutathione, catalase, and superoxide dismutase) which battle rogue free radicals have also been observed as a result of meditation and yoga, keeping you healthy and young.
How to prepare for meditation?
Pick a Time That Is Convenient for You
The hours of sunset and sunrise, as nature is in transition, are perfect for meditation, according to ancient Vedic writings. However, you should choose a period when you have at least 15–20 minutes to push the pause button.
Discover a Quiet Area
Choose a location where you are unlikely to be interrupted. You can let others know about your meditation practice so that they can leave you alone for 15–20 minutes. Meditation can be made more comfortable and calming by being in a quiet and tranquil environment.
Make sure your posture is correct.
Make sure your posture is straight as you sit for meditation. You can achieve a level of calm awareness by allowing spiritual energy to flow from the base of your spine to the crown of the head. So, throughout the meditation, sit up straight with your back erect, shoulders and neck relaxed, and eyes closed. If you're not comfortable in padmasana (the lotus position), you don't have to meditate in it.
Make sure your stomach isn't full
Whenever you take a seat to meditate, it's best if you don't have a full stomach. At home or at work, before meals is a wonderful time to meditate. Because digestion uses energy, meditating after a meal may cause you to feel drowsy—you don't want to fall asleep while meditating.
Join our community and share your experiences with meditation for diabetes
Are you interested in connecting with diabetics looking for more ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle? People with diabetes, their families, friends, supporters, and caretakers are members of our community, each contributing their unique support and firsthand knowledge. Join our online community to see what others are doing to support a healthy lifestyle.
