Staying active

Benefits of exercise

The benefits of regular exercise can be enjoyed by people with diabetes as much as anyone else. You can benefit from exercise in a number of ways:

  • Regular exercise lowers your blood sugar so you will need less insulin
  • Your insulin works more effectively and you may lose some weight
  • Exercise lowers your blood pressure, which is good for your heart
  • It also strengthens your muscles and joints
  • Being in good shape will increase your self-confidence and help you feel good about yourself.

    •  

     

    Before exercising, here are some points to consider:

    • Choose the kind of exercise that is right for you and that you will enjoy
    • Before you begin an exercise programme, consider your general health, your physical fitness and how well your diabetes is controlled
    • Discuss your choice of exercise with your diabetes care team.

    If you have complications from diabetes or other health problems, some sports may not be best suited to you.

    Physical activity

    If your diabetes is under good control, you should be able to do the same kind of physical activity as people without diabetes. Remember that this activity can affect your blood sugar. The extent of that effect depends on how long you exercise and how intensely.
    The effect of exercise on blood sugar differs from person to person. It’s a good idea to learn how your body responds to different kinds of physical activities.
    You need to have your diabetes well controlled before you start a new exercise plan. You should not exercise if your blood sugar is more than 14 mmol/l and you have ketones present in your urine. Your liver will produce sugar and ketones and your muscles will be unable to use sugar efficiently. In this case, increase your insulin dose and delay your exercise programme until your blood sugar is normal and your urine is ketone-free.

    When physically active:

    When you are physically active, your body burns sugar faster and can lower your blood sugar. To help prevent hypoglycaemia, test your blood sugar before the exercise session.  You'll usually need to eat more before exercise, and maybe also during and after exercise. You may also need less insulin than usual but you can't exercise without taking some insulin.

    When to take less insulin

    Taking less insulin than usual before exercise may be a good idea. Often, this is only possible when you know how long and how heavy your exercise session is going to be.

    When you do unplanned physical activity, it is important to eat an extra snack - such as pasta, fruit or bread - to avoid hypoglycaemia.

    Exercising for a long period

    When you exercise for a long period of time, you will usually need to take less insulin and to eat extra food. Ask your diabetes care team how to do this.
    There are no fixed rules, so you might try some different combinations to see what's best for you. If you're going to exercise heavily, you may need to lower your insulin dose by as much as 50%. You'll need extra water and food every 15 to 30 minutes. Juice or other sugary soft drinks work well.

    Precautions during exercise

    Take some sugar, biscuits or juice with you when you exercise. Take your diabetes ID card too. It will tell people what to do if your blood sugar becomes so low that you need help.

    If you are exercising with other people you should let them know you have diabetes. Tell them what the symptoms are when you have low blood sugar and what they should do if you suddenly need their help. Also tell them where you keep fast-acting sugar and your glucagon injection kit.

    Make sure you use the right footwear for your particular type of exercise. 

    Precautions after exercise

    It’s a good idea to test your blood sugar after exercise. If it’s normal or low, you should eat some more food. Be aware that hypoglycaemia can develop several hours after a hard exercise session.

    If you exercise late in the day, you should be particularly aware of hypoglycaemia during the night and eat an extra large snack at bedtime. You may also need to eat extra foods rich in carbohydrate, such as pasta, the following day.

    Staying active: A summary

    • People with diabetes can get the same benefits from regular exercise that we all do
    • Exercise lowers your blood sugar and makes you fit
    • If you’re new to exercise, you should discuss what exercise best suits you with your diabetes care team
    • The effect of exercise on blood sugar varies for each person
    • Making adjustments to insulin doses and taking precautions against hypoglycaemia are important with regular exercise
    • If you have diabetic complications, check with your doctor before starting an exercise programme
    • Pick an exercise you enjoy and go for it! You have nothing to lose and a lot to gain.

     

    Back to top

      INS/686/0107

    Last updated: May 2007