Yoga for Diabetes: 7 Poses to Help Maintain Your Health

Yoga poses for Diabetes has just landed recognition as a holistic complement to allopathic treatments for chronic diseases such as diabetes, combining the physical and postural benefits of certain exercises with a sequence of controlled breathing exercises and meditation techniques. Yoga aids in circulation, metabolism, stress, and all critical aspects of controlling diabetes. With the help of breathing and body control mechanisms, yoga can help with correcting insulin intolerance, stabilizing glucose levels, and lowering stress hormones which are all beneficial for managing this condition.

How Yoga for Diabetes Works

Yoga is not only about exercises but a way of life that encompasses correct breathing and relaxation techniques. Here is how practising yoga can help manage diabetes when incorporated into one’s life. 

1. Improved Insulin Sensitivity

Studies have shown that practising yoga for diabetes enhances the body’s insulin response and increases cell glucose uptake, leading to lower blood sugar levels. There are specific postures, like Dhanurasana and Paschimottanasana, which work wonders on the pancreas making it more effective in its secretion of insulin. 

2. Stress Reduction

Stress for a long period is associated with increased cortisol levels, which affect blood sugar levels by causing a rise and then leading to the implementation of insulin resistance. You can benefit from yoga for diabetes such as Shavasana and Supta Matsyendrasana, which increase parasympathetic nervous system activity and reduce cortisol levels. 

3. Enhanced Circulation

Yoga postures such as Setu Bandhasana and Bhujangasana allow blood flow to the abdominal region. These aids for increased circulation of blood glucose which is then delivered to the muscles for energy rather than being stored in the blood​. This also helps to promote circulation and the way the body can take in and process insulin.

4. Weight Management

Yoga is also effective regarding weight loss which is important to people with Type 2 diabetes. Effective activities focus on the muscles, including asanas that support several groups of muscles, reduce caloric input and augment muscle bulk, enhancing glycemic control.

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7 Yoga Poses for Diabetes

Yoga is particularly relevant in diabetes care as it helps glycaemic control, improves insulin sensitivity, decreases blood glucose levels, enhances circulation and reduces stress. Here are seven yoga positions (asanas) that will help develop circulation, affecting the functional outcome of the pancreas and the nervous system- the key to controlling most diabetic conditions.

1. Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)

Dhanurasana is quite an effective back-bending yoga for diabetes posture that opens up the body’s anterior line, mainly on the pancreas chakra and abdominal area. This pose targets the digestive system with the most benefits acknowledged in digestion and management of insulin, essential for diabetes.

How It Works: Dhanurasana involves the formation of a body arch like the bow which exerts pressure on the pancreas and increases blood circulation towards the abdomen -helpful in increasing the production of insulin.

How to Perform:

• Lay down with your face down on the ground or on the floor with your legs outstretched and your arms placed behind you.
• Bend your knees and throw your legs back, touching your ankles with your hands.
• Breathe in exhaling while trying to lift your chest and thighs off the floor, creating an arch in your body.
• Try holding your breath to count from 20 to 30, then you can breathe out.
• Repeat this whole process 3-4 times.

2. Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)

The yoga for diabetes, known as a form of vrikshasana, helps a person build adequate stability and balance. In diabetic patients, this pose also cuts on stress levels, mainly the cortisol and other stress hormones that cause variability in blood sugar levels.

How It Works: This pose makes it possible to engage the leg muscles and, therefore help stimulate circulation, thereby guaranteeing that glucose is used correctly up by the muscles. 

How to Perform:

• Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides in a position of attention.
• Slightly transfer your body weight to your left foot, putting your right foot on your left inner thigh.
• Clasp our palms together like a prayer cove in front of the sternum.
• Holding on to the chair, complete the pose in 30-60 seconds, breathe deeply, and switch the legs.

3. Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend)

The Seated Forward Bend or Paschimottanasana is relaxing and helps the spine, hamstrings, and lower back, stimulating the abdominal organs such as the pancreas and kidneys. It is also said that this type of stretch helps the pancreas in a specific way and, therefore, is useful for people with diabetes.

How It Works: The Seated Forward Bend or Paschimottanasana presses the pancreas gland and promotes insulin secretion because of the pressure. These positions also aid digestion and metabolism which are critical components in the regulation of blood sugar​.

How to Perform:

• Start Paschimottanasana by positioning your feet apart at the same width as your shoulders, then hinge at the hips and knees, descending towards the yoga mat or floor as you elongate your legs forward.
• Breathe in organically, extending your lower back, and breathe out, bend forward with an attempt to hold your toes or heel.
• In a good posture, do not put much stress on your spine and try to reach forward with a long spine and hold for 30-60 seconds.
• Sit back up and repeat 2-3 times.

4. Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose)

Setu Bandhasana or Bridge Pose is a mild backbend asana which not only releases the chest and spine but also tones the abdominal organs including the pancreas. Also, it has beneficial effects for improving digestion, circulation, stress and the overall health of the body.

How It Works: The curve created during this yoga for diabetes reactivates blood flow to the organs of the lower abdomen, the pancreas, and other digestive systems. It also soothes the nervous system to decrease blood sugar fluctuations associated with stress​.

How to Perform:

• Initially, you must position yourself with your feet separated at shoulder width and touching the ground, then lay flat on your back with knees bent.
• Breathe in during this stretch as you raise your upper body off the floor and engage your feet through the toes.
• Place your palms flat on the ground, put the fingers of each hand under your back, extend your arms and hold for 30-60 seconds.
• Breathe out and then lower the hips back down to the ground.

5. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)

This basic Cobra Pose back bend yoga for diabetes prepares the body for the chest and abdomen muscles. The posture helps in invigorating the pancreas and that is why this is useful for treating diabetic patients. It also helps in spinal mobility and enhanced digestion.

How It Works: Bhujangasana puts pressure on your organs, including the pancreas, which in turn makes the pancreas work more efficiently or secrete more insulin. 

How to Perform:

• This yoga for diabetes includes lying flat on the stomach with the legs elongated and hands placed directly on the floor with fingers stretching to the shoulder area.
• Breathe out and raise your upper part while your elbows are slightly flexed.
• Take 20 to 30 seconds, breathe out and off.
• Repeat the pose 2-3 times.

6. Supta Matsyendrasana (Supine Spinal Twist)

Supta Matsyendrasana, or Supine Spinal twist, is the simplified version of the seated spinal twist and is more a restorative posture that relieves stress in the organs, especially the pancreas, liver, kidneys and ovaries/testes. It also helps with digestion, detoxification and calming of the mind which aids with blood sugar regulation.

How It Works: Twisting movement activates the pancreas and other organs in the abdomen, improving digestion and insulin secretion. Twists are also practised to help manage the stress that implies diabetes by reducing cortisol and glucose levels.

How to Perform:

• To perform this yoga for diabetes, lay down on your back, put your knees at the edge of the chair and feet placed on the floor.
• Stand with your feet as wide as your shoulders, extend your arms to the side at shoulder height, forming a ‘T’, then lower both your knees to one side of the body as you twist your head in the opposite direction of the knees.
• Hold for 45 to 90 seconds before switching sides.

7. Shavasana (Corpse Pose)

Shavasana, or Corpse Pose, is one of the most relaxing yoga for diabetes wherein the body is given complete rest. Although it looks more like a relaxing pose, Shavasana is quite helpful in combating stress, which directly affects blood glucose levels. 

How It Works: The effects of Shavasana are in lowering stress levels and anxiety which are one of the causes for variation in blood sugar levels. As a result, the parasympathetic nervous system works toward reducing the secretion of stress hormones like cortisol.

How to Perform:

• Sit on a chair relaxedly, feet touching the floor, legs uncrossed, and your hands resting gently on the knees with your palms down.
• The next step is to close your eyes and breathe slowly and deeply.
• Retain this asana for 5-10 minutes allowing your body and mind to fully relax.

Conclusion

Yoga can be of great benefit to people with diabetes as it is suitable for both physical and mental health. Yoga for diabetes, being a complete solution to the problem helps improve insulin sensitivity, reduce blood glucose and control the overall stress. The above-mentioned seven yoga postures are great for those who want to maintain their blood sugar level naturally.

Yoga for Diabetes FAQs