Power to Prevent - National Diabetes Education Program - National ...

Learning to Relax
There are many ways to help yourself relax:
Breathing exercises. Sit or lie down and uncross your legs and arms. Take in a deep breath.
Then push out as much air as you can. Breathe in and out again, this time consciously relaxing
your muscles while breathing out. Keep breathing and relaxing for 5 minutes at a time. Do the
breathing exercises at least once a day.
Progressive relaxation therapy. In this technique, which you can learn in a clinic or from an
audiotape, you tense muscles, then relax them.
Physical activity. Even limited activity such as stretching can be relaxing. Moderate intensity
activity such as walking has many benefts, including relieving stress and depression.
Replacing bad thoughts with good ones. Each time you notice a bad thought, purposefully think
of something that makes you happy or proud. Or memorize a poem, prayer, or quote and use it
to replace a bad thought. Remember the saying of the Little Engine That Could? Replace “I can’t
do it” thoughts with “I think I can, I think I can” and you will succeed!
Whatever method you choose to relax, practice it. Just as it takes weeks or months of practice to
learn a new sport, it takes practice to learn relaxation.
Other Ways to Reduce Mental Stress
Ask yourself, can I change something in my life to lessen stress? If you feel that you just don’t have
time to take care of yourself because you are too busy taking care of others, is there someone you
can ask to help? Can you share child care with a friend? Can you get your teenagers to help with
chores to reduce your stress about getting everything done?
Some sources of stress can’t be eliminated, but you can still learn to deal with them. There are ways
to reduce the stresses of living with diabetes. Support groups can help. By talking to other people
in the same situation, you can pick up tips for living with diabetes and coping with stress, and you
know that you are not alone.
There are other ways to fght stress as well. Add positive things that ft in with your life: confde in
friends, play with your children and grandchildren, consider prayer and meditation, or walk more.
Physical activity itself can lift your spirits and reduce stress.
Dealing directly with diabetes-related stress can also help. Think about the aspects of living with
diabetes that are the most stressful for you—taking your medication, checking your blood glucose
levels regularly, exercising, or eating as you should. What can you do to change these stressors?
Can you fnd a way to make these stressors easier to accept?
Sometimes stress can be so severe that you feel overwhelmed. Counseling or psychotherapy might
help. Talk to your health care provider about your options for how to deal with your stress. You
may learn new ways of changing your behavior.
NDEP Power to Prevent Appendices 94