For example, try aiming for minute exercise sessions 3 times a day for 5 days, with the goal of minutes per week.

Exercise increases insulin sensitivity and helps your muscles use blood sugar for movement. This can lead to reduced blood sugar levels.

Your carb intake strongly influences your blood sugar levels 7. Your body breaks carbs down into sugars, mainly glucose. Then, insulin helps your body use and store it for energy. When you eat too many carbs or have insulin-function problems, this process fails, and blood glucose levels can rise.

Some studies find that this can help you plan your meals appropriately, further improving blood sugar management 9 , Many studies also show that eating a low carb diet helps reduce blood sugar levels and prevent blood sugar spikes 11 , 12 , You can still eat some carbs when monitoring your blood sugar.

However, prioritizing whole grains over processed ones and refined carbs provides greater nutritional value while helping decrease your blood sugar levels Your body breaks down the carbs you eat into glucose, which then raises your blood sugar levels.

As such, reducing your carb intake can aid blood sugar regulation. Fiber slows carb digestion and sugar absorption, thereby promoting a more gradual rise in blood sugar levels There are two types of fiber — insoluble and soluble.

This could help you better manage type 1 diabetes The recommended daily intake of fiber is about 25 grams for women and 35 grams for men.

Eating plenty of fiber can aid blood sugar management. Soluble dietary fiber appears to be more effective than insoluble fiber for this purpose.

In addition to preventing dehydration, it helps your kidneys flush out any excess sugar through urine. One review of observational studies showed that those who drank more water had a lower risk of developing high blood sugar levels Drinking water regularly may rehydrate the blood, lower blood sugar levels, and reduce diabetes risk 20 , Keep in mind that water and other zero-calorie drinks are best.

Avoid sugar-sweetened options, as these can raise blood glucose, drive weight gain, and increase diabetes risk 22 , Staying hydrated can reduce blood sugar levels and diabetes risk. Choose water and zero-calorie drinks and avoid sugar-sweetened beverages.

Portion control can help you regulate your calorie intake and maintain a moderate weight 24 , Consequently, weight management promotes healthy blood sugar levels and has been shown to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes 1 , 26 , Monitoring your serving sizes also helps prevent blood sugar spikes 2.

The glycemic index GI measures how quickly carbs break down during digestion and how rapidly your body absorbs them. This affects how quickly your blood sugar levels rise The GI divides foods into low, medium, and high GI and ranks them on a scale of 0— Low GI foods have a ranking of 55 or less 15 , Both the amount and type of carbs you eat determine how a food affects your blood sugar levels.

Specifically, eating low GI foods has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels in people with diabetes 15 , Furthermore, adding protein or healthy fats helps minimize blood sugar spikes after a meal Stress can affect your blood sugar levels When stressed, your body secretes hormones called glucagon and cortisol, which cause blood sugar levels to rise 29 , One study including a group of students showed that exercise, relaxation, and meditation significantly reduced stress and lowered blood sugar levels Exercises and relaxation methods like yoga and mindfulness-based stress reduction may also help correct insulin secretion problems among people with chronic diabetes 31 , 32 , Managing your stress levels through exercise or relaxation methods like yoga may help you regulate blood sugar levels.

Monitoring blood glucose levels can help you better manage them You can do so at home using a portable blood glucose meter, which is known as a glucometer. You can discuss this option with your doctor. Keeping track allows you to determine whether you need to adjust your meals or medications.

It also helps you learn how your body reacts to certain foods 2. Try measuring your levels regularly every day and keeping track of the numbers in a log. Also, it may be more helpful to track your blood sugar in pairs — for example, before and after exercise or before and 2 hours after a meal.

This can show you whether you need to make small changes to a meal if it spikes your blood sugar, rather than avoiding your favorite meals altogether. Some adjustments include swapping a starchy side for non-starchy veggies or limiting them to a handful.

Checking your blood glucose and maintaining a daily log enables you to adjust foods and medications when necessary to better manage your blood sugar levels. Getting enough sleep feels excellent and is necessary for good health In fact, poor sleeping habits and a lack of rest can affect blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity, increasing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

They can also increase appetite and promote weight gain 36 , 37 , Additionally, sleep deprivation raises levels of the hormone cortisol, which, as explained, plays an essential role in blood sugar management 29 , Adequate sleep is about both quantity and quality. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults get at least 7—8 hours of high quality sleep per night To improve the quality of your sleep , try to:.

Good sleep helps maintain your blood sugar levels and promotes a healthy weight. The result can be a high blood glucose level.

Track Levels Health care professionals can take blood glucose readings and provide recommendations. Tips for Success Eat Smart: Eat a healthy diet of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts, plant-based proteins, lean animal proteins like fish and seafood.

Limit sugary foods and drinks, red or processed meats, salty foods, refined carbohydrates and highly processed foods.

Move More: Being physically active can lower your risk of developing diabetes and help you manage the disease if you already have it. Manage Weight: Stay at a healthy weight to help prevent, delay or manage diabetes.

Make a diabetes meal plan with help from your health care team. Following a meal plan will help you manage your blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol. Choose fruits and vegetables, beans, whole grains, chicken or turkey without the skin, fish, lean meats, and nonfat or low-fat milk and cheese.

Drink water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages. Choose foods that are lower in calories, saturated fat , trans fat , sugar, and salt. Learn more about eating, diet, and nutrition with diabetes.

Set a goal to be more physically active. Try to work up to 30 minutes or more of physical activity on most days of the week. Brisk walking and swimming are good ways to move more.

If you are not active now, ask your health care team about the types and amounts of physical activity that are right for you.

Learn more about being physically active with diabetes. Following your meal plan and being more active can help you stay at or get to a healthy weight. If you are overweight or obese, work with your health care team to create a weight-loss plan that is right for you.

Take your medicines for diabetes and any other health problems, even when you feel good or have reached your blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol goals. These medicines help you manage your ABCs. Ask your doctor if you need to take aspirin to prevent a heart attack or stroke.

Tell your health care professional if you cannot afford your medicines or if you have any side effects from your medicines. Learn more about insulin and other diabetes medicines. For many people with diabetes, checking their blood glucose level each day is an important way to manage their diabetes.

Monitoring your blood glucose level is most important if you take insulin. The results of blood glucose monitoring can help you make decisions about food, physical activity, and medicines. The most common way to check your blood glucose level at home is with a blood glucose meter. You get a drop of blood by pricking the side of your fingertip with a lancet.

Then you apply the blood to a test strip. The meter will show you how much glucose is in your blood at the moment. Ask your health care team how often you should check your blood glucose levels.

Make sure to keep a record of your blood glucose self-checks. You can print copies of this glucose self-check chart. Take these records with you when you visit your health care team.

Continuous glucose monitoring CGM is another way to check your glucose levels. Most CGM systems use a tiny sensor that you insert under your skin. If the CGM system shows that your glucose is too high or too low, you should check your glucose with a blood glucose meter before making any changes to your eating plan, physical activity, or medicines.

A CGM system is especially useful for people who use insulin and have problems with low blood glucose. Talk with your health care team about the best target range for you. Be sure to tell your health care professional if your glucose levels often go above or below your target range.

Sometimes blood glucose levels drop below where they should be, which is called hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia can be life threatening and needs to be treated right away. Learn more about how to recognize and treat hypoglycemia.

If you often have high blood glucose levels or symptoms of high blood glucose, talk with your health care team. You may need a change in your diabetes meal plan, physical activity plan, or medicines.

Most people with diabetes get health care from a primary care professional. Primary care professionals include internists, family physicians, and pediatricians. Sometimes physician assistants and nurses with extra training, called nurse practitioners, provide primary care.