A lot goes into managing diabetes; checking your blood glucose levels, taking your medications, counting carbs and getting enough exercise. With so much focus on the physical aspects of your disease, you may be neglecting your mental health.

When you feel stressed, your body releases glucose for your cells to use as energy. If you have diabetes, you may not have enough insulin to move that extra glucose into your cells. As a result, your blood sugar level rises. Try these relaxation techniques to help you reduce stress:

• Deep breathing: While sitting or lying down, take deep breaths in and out as you focus on relaxing your muscles. Aim for five to 20 minutes of deep breathing at least once a day.
• Progressive relaxing: Starting with your toes, flex your muscles as you inhale. As you exhale, release the tension. Work your way up your body and repeat the exercise in each body part.
• Think happy thoughts: When you notice a bad or stressful thought, replace it with one that makes you happy. Choose a positive word or phrase to repeat each time you have a negative thought.