People with Type 2 diabetes also suffer from the disease's emotional and mental side effects. In fact, studies have shown that people with this disease have a higher risk of depression compared to those without it. Additionally, the stress of controlling diabetes can also build up. Meditation, on the other hand, has been known to help people reduce stress and improve their sleep. (Related: Meditation: How an ancient practice has come to be known as a panacea for modern ills.)
For the study, the Indian researchers looked at the effect of guided meditation practice on perceived stress, anxiety, depression, sleep, and quality of life in people with Type 2 diabetes. They recruited 30 individuals with the condition and had them participate in supervised meditation programs in the evenings. The meditation program ran for a month, with participants going to classes five days a week – all while taking their regular medication. The researchers also measured the participants' perceived stress, anxiety, depression, sleep, and quality of life at the beginning and end of the intervention.
Four weeks after practicing guided meditation, the participants experienced improvements in their sleep and quality of life. In addition, their levels of stress, anxiety, and depression also decreased. Moreover, the practice of guided meditation reduced their daytime dysfunction.
Published in the Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, the results of the study indicate that a meditation program safely and effectively improves the mental health, sleep, and quality of life of people with Type 2 diabetes. With these findings, the researchers suggest people with Type 2 diabetes participate in guided self-awareness-based meditation programs to improve their condition, which could also help reduce the likelihood of complications in the future.
Meditation helps control blood sugar
Meditation is a practice of mind relaxation that involves techniques like focusing and controlled breathing without using any special equipment. While it is widely used to reduce stress and relieve various physical ailments, recent research has suggested that it can help people with diabetes control their blood sugar. Certain meditative techniques have been reported to reduce mental stress and hormone release. One of those hormones is cortisol. When cortisol levels are high, blood sugar levels are also more likely to be increased.
In a study published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine, it has shown that transcendental meditation, a type of meditation, can help people with diabetes manage their blood sugar levels. In addition, it can also decrease blood pressure and reduce insulin resistance.
Transcendental meditation, which originated in India in the 1950s, is usually done sitting on the floor with your eyes closed. Then, you focus on a word or phrase silently, which is known as a "mantra." Research has also shown that this type of meditation may help reduce stress, anxiety, depression, addiction, insomnia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as strengthen the immune system. In addition, it may keep the heart healthy by recharging both the brain and mind. Moreover, studies have shown that meditation can relieve chronic pain. This can be helpful to people with diabetes who have nerve pain-neuropathy or back pain. They are also more likely to experience increased stress and blood sugar levels.
Read more news stories and studies on improving your well-being through meditation by going to MindBodyScience.news.
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