Diabetes can be pretty stressful, right?
You probably find yourself wondering about your blood glucose more often than a school girl wonders about her crush throughout the day.
And, just like with a school crush, you are devastated when your blood glucose betrays you even after all of your hard work to keep things steady.
Add to that the fact that diabetes care can be downright pricey.
Okay, I won’t make your anxiety shoot even higher … I’ll just trust that you know what I mean when I say that diabetes can be anxiety-provoking.
So here are 7 ways to reduce your anxiety, once and for all.
#1 Take a Slow, Deep Breath
First of all, slow things down, okay? Take a nice, long, deep breath. Get yourself into a spot where you can close your eyes and breathe in through your nose for 10 whole seconds. Then, slowly let the air out through your mouth for 10 seconds. Push the air out while envisioning every crevice of your lungs being emptied of air. 
Do this as many times as needed.
This isn’t just a hippie-dippy thing, either. By taking a deep breath, you are stimulating the vagus nerve, which helps slow heart rate and lower blood pressure.
In fact, by doing this regularly, you are less likely experience negative moods, loneliness, inflammation, and even heart attacks. So breathe deeply!
#2 Fact Check
Our minds are amazingly fast in spreading disastrous thoughts, but before spinning out of control, do a quick fact check. Is this situation really 
disastrous? Have you gotten through things like this in the past? Is there a way to get through this, logistically, even if it’s hard?
Usually, the answers are ‘yes’ to all of these questions. When you break them down like this, it makes the overwhelming task of managing diabetes a whole lot more manageable.
#3 Set a Time to Worry
Worrying is basically the past time of millennials these days, and it has sort of infected our entire modern society.
I get it, I do it too.
But don’t waste your whole day worrying about things without doing something about it. Instead, set aside a time to worry and then worry your little heart out during that time.
For the rest of the time that you have, you should use it to do something way more productive or fun.
Maybe you like to worry at 2 p.m. every day for 30 minutes. Fine. Do it! Maybe walk in circles while you do it or opt for some jumping jacks to burn off the anxious energy. It really doesn’t matter. Just contain your worry to a set time each day instead of letting it consume you.
#4 Take a Look at What You Can Do
Okay, so you’ve worried and done your fact checking. Now, make a list of how to tackle it! Keep it simple, straightforward, and doable.
Need to call your insurance company? Set aside some time to do it.
Need to find a new blood glucose meter? Do a research what’s on the market today.
Need to adjust your medication? Make a doctors appointment.
Step by step, you will get through it.
#5 Give Yourself a Pep Talk
Don’t be afraid to talk yourself through your anxiety. It may sound silly, but by repeating positive affirmations, you are really helping your brain (and spirit) 
handle the stress more effectively.
Because you know what? You really can get through it. You’ve been “getting through it” every day up until this point, so why wouldn’t you be able to continue?
#6 Get Some Sleep
A good night’s rest is like nature’s band-aid—I swear. You allow your brain to
reset and start over with a fresh set of neural signals and a fresh batch of neurotransmitters. Your hormone-producing glands have the time to recover, and your panicky thoughts get to take a break. So get some rest!
#7 Go Play!
Don’t forget to have fun.
Seriously.
Give yourself permission to enjoy yourself! Go outside and play frisbee or throw popcorn at passing cars. I don’t know, but does it really matter what you do.
Because the point is to give yourself a break from this serious life so that you can laugh, relax, and release some healthy hormones and neurotransmitters to help you combat the anxiety the next time it preys on you.
Try incorporating these things into your daily habits, and you will see your anxiety slowly subside. I promise!
[expand title=”References“]
Psychology Today. URL Link. Accessed April 18, 2017.
Psych Central. URL Link. Accessed April 18, 2017.
Diabetes Forecast. URL Link. Accessed April 18, 2017.
[/expand]
