Does Exercise Lower Blood Sugar?

Exercise is an effective way to lower blood sugar. People who have diabetes should consider making exercise a regular part of their lives. If you have not been seeing enough results after simply adjusting your diet, try adding exercise to your new lifestyle.

What Kind of Exercise Do I Need to Do?

• Any type of exercise can be effective at lowering blood sugar levels. If you are trying to lose weight, doing cardio paired with strength training can be very effective. Cardio is any kind of exercise that increases your heart rate, from something as simple as a brisk walk to something more difficult like kickboxing. Strength training does not necessarily mean weight training; you can do effective strength training by doing floor exercises that require little to no equipment.

How Often Should I Exercise?

• To effectively lower blood sugar, exercise should be a regular part of your life. Regular exercise can be done daily or three to five times a week. For people trying to lose weight, cardio should be done three to five times a week and strength training should be done three times a week with a rest day in between.

Walking as a Solution

• If you feel as though you don't have the time, the clothes or the right equipment to work out, walking is a great exercise. Walking requires no more equipment than a good pair of walking shoes and socks that do not irritate your feet. Walking can be done for as little as a few minutes at a time up to an hour or more. It is a good starter exercise if you have not exercised in awhile.

What Else Does Exercise Help?

• Many people with diabetes also have other conditions such as hypertension, obesity and are at risk for heart disease. Regular exercise can lead to lower blood pressure, weight loss and more controlled glucose levels. Exercise also can help relieve stress and improve sleep.

Warning

• If you have not exercised in a long time, or since you have been diagnosed with diabetes or any other condition, talk to your health care provider. Take your glucose levels before and after exercising to ensure that they do not drop too much. Do not exercise if you have low blood sugar--anything lower than 100 mg/dL, if your blood sugar levels are higher than 250 mg/dL, take someone with you while you exercise or exercise in your home. You should never lose the ability to carry on a conversation while exercising. If you do lose the ability to carry on a short conversation, slow down or stop an take short break.