International Diabetes Center > Diabetes Self-care > Emotional Health > Beating Stress

Beating stress

Beating stress through relaxation is not about doing. The more you try to make yourself relax, the more likely you will become tense and anxious. You need to let go to relax. Some people find letting go scary, but after you get used to it, you will find it calming. When you first let go, you may need to breathe your way through your fear to truly relax. Breathing is key to helping with relaxation, and deep breathing using your diaphragm (belly) is the most powerful.

Below are techniques to help you relax.

1. Deep breathing.
2. Sit or lie comfortably.
3. Relax your stomach.
4. Place a hand on your stomach.
5. Breathe into that hand so your hand rises when you inhale.
6. Count slowly in your head as you inhale and try to count as high as you can.
7. Pause about half a count at the top of your inhale.
8. Count slowly in your head as you exhale and try to count as high as you can.
9. Feel your hand fall with your belly as you exhale.
10. Pause about half a count at the top of your exhale.
11. Repeat once or twice.
12. Breathe at a natural pace; continue to use your diaphragm.

Apply several times a day to reduce anxiety and manage stress.

Progressive relaxation

1. Find a quiet place with a comfortable place to stretch out.
2. Stretch out.
3. Breath slow and deep.
4. Tense your toes, count one, two, then release the tension.
5. Tense your feet, count one, two, release the tension.
6. Tense your ankles, count one, two, release the tension.
7. Keep going up your body, tensing and releasing each area.
8. Take a detour to relax your arms out to your fingertips, then return to your neck.
9. Tense and release up the back of your head and end with your face.
10. Tense your whole body, count one, two, release the tension.
11. Breath slow and deep, lie still with eyes closed until you are ready to move again.
12. Remember what it feels like to be relaxed so you can return to it when needed.

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