Navigating the highs and lows of diabetes can truly take an emotional toll on you. There is a lot of effort that goes into giving yourself a dose of insulin. You work so hard to precisely measure and weigh all the carbohydrates in your food and then take into consideration the numerous factors that could potentially impact your blood sugar. There is no doubt that when you don’t get a desired outcome you feel frustrated and defeated. This blog post will review mindful activities that you can use the next time your blood sugar is out of range (it will happen, no one is perfect!) to help you keep a neutral mindset.
Practice Deep Breathing
Taking a few clarifying breaths can help relax your mind as it starts racing with thoughts. As soon as you see an out of range number that catches you by surprise, your body’s natural flight-or-fight response will kick in. In order to keep yourself grounded, take a deep inhale in, holding for 5-10 seconds, and then exhaling for another 5-10 seconds. Continue taking deep breaths until you begin feeling calm, cool, and collected.
Create Motivational Mantras
Mantras are short words or phrases that are used in repetition to help boost awareness and quiet the noise going on inside your head. Repeating phrases like “I am okay” or “My blood sugar always comes down/up” can make you feel relaxed and empowered when these situations arise.
Don’t Take it Personally
When your blood sugar is out of range, it isn’t something to take personally- afterall, you are trying to mimic the function of a complex organ. Most people don’t have to think about the numerous factors that impact their blood sugar. You are trying your best and sometimes that’s the best you can do.
Diabetes is hard to manage, but when you are able to stay neutral with your numbers will allow you to respond instead of reacting out of emotion.