**Yoga and Glycemic Stability**
Yoga calms the autonomic nervous system through breath, meditation, and alignment, lowering stress hormones like cortisol. This mitigates glucose surges tied to abdominal adiposity, overeating, and poor sleep. Slow, controlled asanas create isometric contractions in large muscles, promoting glucose utilization.
**Specific Effects**
1) Flexibility and range of motion: improves daily movement efficiency, reducing fatigue–overeating cycles.
2) Respiratory training: diaphragmatic breathing and 4–6 pacing enhance heart rate variability and metabolic stability.
3) Sleep quality: meditation shortens sleep latency and reduces awakenings, easing dawn hyperglycemia patterns.
**Example Routine**
– Beginner flow: Mountain–Forward Fold–Cobra–Child’s Pose–Pigeon, hold 30–45 seconds each, 20–30 minutes total.
– Breath/meditation: 10 minutes of 4–6 breathing (inhale 4s, exhale 6s) followed by 5 minutes of loving-kindness meditation.
– Practice 3–5 times/week; avoid intense twists within 1 hour after meals.
**Precautions**
– With hypoglycemia risk, favor supine poses; rise slowly if orthostatic symptoms occur.
– Neuropathy/retinopathy/hypertension: avoid inversions and heavy Valsalva.
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In sum, yoga improves stress, sleep, and activity patterns together, dampening glucose variability and aiding long-term control.
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