Yoga has been central to Rachel Zinman’s life since she was a teenager. When she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) 16 years ago, at the age of 42, she instinctively felt she should lean into her yoga practice.   

“I knew it would support me, first and foremost, mentally,” she said, “but also that it would assist in increasing my insulin sensitivity and support my nervous system to tolerate the physiological changes that occur when I get stressed.”  

Each day, Zinman, a yoga teacher based in New South Wales, Australia, and author of “Yoga for Diabetes: How to Manage your Health with Yoga and Ayurveda,” sits before breakfast for a breathing and meditation practice and then, in the afternoon, practices a postural sequence to help increase insulin sensitivity and fitness. “The afternoon yoga works well because I usually don’t have a lot of insulin in my system at that time, so I avoid low blood sugars.”  

Zinman is part of the DiabetesSongha community group helping those with T1D find health and inspiration through meditation. “Yoga changed my life,” she said. “My mind became calmer, and my attitude towards life, myself, and others changed. I was a very anxious person, and yoga enabled me to find a place of calm no matter what came my way.”  

 

FhardWhat does research have to say? 

Medical research into the health effects of yoga for T1Ds is slim, and advocates want more studies. One study found, “Yoga is a safe exercise that acutely reduces glucose values but with a lower risk of hypoglycemia compared to cycling.”

Another limited study conducted in Bangalore, India, introduced a daily yoga practice to people with all types of diabetes and found the practice improved dietary practices, medication adherence, and glucose management. While research highlights the benefits of yoga for type 2 diabetes, it’s also a recommended mind-body practice by the American Diabetes Association.  

“With yoga, there is such a beautiful alignment of the mind-body connection,” said Dana Roseman, a dietitian and diabetes care specialist who has lived with T1D for nearly three decades and has been practicing yoga for almost as long. “Yoga really helps to encourage  mindfulness that can help quiet the diabetes management side of living with the disease.” 

  

Can yoga help with diabetes-related stress? 

People with T1D make so many extra decisions a day — as many as 120 by some estimates. “The mental gymnastics and constant dialogue in your head concerning diabetes management is so fatiguing,” Roseman said. “Just focusing on breath with movement is a nice respite.” 

Roseman said yoga class can be a great way to take a break from the constant focus on her glucose management.  She recommended that if you feel comfortable, let the instructor know you have T1D in case you have to leave the room, your equipment beeps or vibrates, or you have to treat a low. 

Roseman, director of technology and research at Integrated Diabetes Services, said she often recommends yoga to clients since it adapts to any fitness level, is great for pregnancy, complements healthy nutrition, cardio workouts, and strength training, and is a good at-home option. 

“As with any physical activity, you have to walk into that activity thinking about the potential for low blood sugars,” she said. “Especially for those with type 1 diabetes, it takes a little experimenting to see what works.” 

 

How Yoga can ease other complications common with T1D  

Jennifer Smith, a dietitian and diabetes care specialist at Integrated Diabetes Services, has lived with type 1 for 27 years and, like her colleague Roseman, discovered yoga more than 30 years ago.  

“Because there are many different kinds of yoga, there can be many types of options for any person’s needs,” Smith said, adding that she tends to take Vinyasa flow classes since she finds that type of movement requires less adjustment for her AID system than other types of cardio activity. The practice eases the pain of her rheumatoid arthritis.  

“The flexibility in my joints that yoga helps me to maintain is beneficial,” Smith said, “and the decrease of inflammation in my body helps me manage my blood sugars better, so it all flows together. For people with type 1, especially, we often have other chronic things we are navigating, and yoga is a nice, easy way to get something good for your body.” 

Smith also frequently counsels clients to try yoga, not only as a way to keep limber and active but also to ease the mental burden of living with diabetes.    

“People with type 1 are very cued into paying attention to how their body feels, and because of that connection, yoga helps you look even deeper at that. Sometimes, it’s just a nice place to offer reflection,” she said. “Yoga offers a nice step back and a breath.” 

Zinman also emphasized the need to experiment with the various types of yoga. Some fast-paced styles, like vinyasa or power yoga, might work for some to increase insulin sensitivity, but for others, it may initially raise their glucose, she said.  

“It’s not one size fits all,” Zinman said. “Often, people try yoga and find one type of yoga is too hard or, conversely, not enough of a workout. It’s really so individual.”  

 

Zinman shared the following tips for developing a yoga routine:  

  • Start with an introductory, gentle class to avoid injury. 
  • Incorporate yoga practices like restorative yoga, gentle asanas, pranayama (breathing techniques), and meditation to reduce stress and improve insulin sensitivity. 
  • Yoga poses like Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose) and Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclined Bound Angle Pose) are particularly helpful for relaxation. 
  • Consistency is key to reaping the benefits of yoga for blood sugar management and overall well-being. 

For the past 40 years, yoga has been the center of Zinman’s life and work. “We are all perfect just as we are,” she said. “The feelings that yoga engenders — feelings of peace, harmony, and contentment — are the nature of who we are.”