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Diabetic Exercise Timing: When & How to Exercise Safely

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May 20, 2024

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Here, let’s take a look at what you should know about exercise time for people with diabetes. Do you know how often to exercise, how long each exercise is appropriate, and what is the appropriate time to exercise?

Exercise time: This is not absolute. Generally, it is no less than 1 to 2 hours of exercise time. It should not be excessive, otherwise it will have a bad impact on rest, as long as the diabetic patient does not feel uncomfortable. In addition, if you are just starting to exercise to lower your blood sugar, it is recommended that you do it step by step, starting with a small amount of exercise and gradually increasing the amount, rather than doing a lot of exercise at the beginning, which is not very beneficial to your blood sugar control.

Exercise cycle and frequency: 3 to 4 times a week is optimal. If the amount of exercise each time is small, the physical condition is good, and the patient does not feel tired after each exercise, the exercise frequency can be once a day. Exercise should not be interrupted. If the interval between exercise exceeds 3 to 4 days, the effect and accumulation will diminish.

Exercise methods: People with diabetes should choose appropriate exercise methods according to their age, physical condition and illness under the guidance of a doctor. The main thing is to choose large muscle group exercises that can enhance the body’s oxygen utilization, such as walking, jogging, climbing stairs, Tai Chi, dancing, swimming, playing ball and riding a bicycle. Anaerobic exercise such as weight lifting, boxing, fast sprinting, etc. is not recommended. Not only does the latter have no therapeutic effect, but it may aggravate the condition. In order to maintain exercise for a long time, you can choose your favorite exercise method.

Amount of exercise: Just sweat a little. The intensity and duration of exercise determine the amount of exercise. The two can cooperate with each other. If the intensity is too low, it can only have a comforting effect; if the intensity is too high, the proportion of anaerobic metabolism will increase, the therapeutic effect will be reduced, and it may cause cardiovascular overload or damage to sports organs, so it should be avoided. Metabolic and cardiovascular function can only be improved when the exercise intensity reaches half of your physical capacity for oxygen uptake. The appropriate exercise heart rate for adults is 170 – age. For diabetic patients who have just started exercising, their heart rate should be controlled at 90 to 100 beats/minute during exercise. If you experience slight sweating, body heat, no fatigue or slight fatigue during exercise, you should rest for a while and return to normal.

Timing of exercise: It should be arranged at a more convenient time, and methods such as exercising in groups can be used. The best time to exercise is usually 1 to 2 hours after a meal, because blood sugar levels increase at this time. At the same time, you should avoid exercising when insulin or oral hypoglycemic drugs are most effective to avoid hypoglycemia.