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Yoga for diabetes: a 35-minute head-up practice

A 35-minute yoga practice for people with diabetes, built from the parts the trials taught together (poses, breathing and relaxation) and the strength and balance work diabetes guidelines ask for. Every pose keeps your head above your heart and there are no breath holds, so it suits every stage of diabetic retinopathy at a steady effort. In trials, yoga lowered blood sugar a little, about as much as other exercise, so pair this with walking, and keep taking your medicines as prescribed.

35 minBeginner17 movesA bench or box · A wall · Firm cushionHip flexors · Back · Abs · Calves · Quads · Glutes
Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Settle

  1. Easy pose (Sukhasana)1 min
    Beginner · Hip flexors, Back · 3D demoOn a folded blanket or a chair. Hypo treatment and your meter within reachHarder: Pigeon preparation (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana prep)
  2. Slow breathing (6 breaths a minute)3 min
    Beginner · 3D demoIn for about 4, out for about 6, with no holdsEasier: Breath reachHarder: Crocodile breathing (prone diaphragmatic breathing)

Warm up

  1. Cat-cow8 waves, slower than feels natural
    Beginner · Back, Abs · 3D demoKeep your head level with your body. With numb hands or sore wrists, do it sitting on a chairHarder: Half lord of the fishes (Ardha Matsyendrasana)
  2. Breath reach5 breaths, exhale longer than inhale
    Beginner · 3D demoHarder: Slow breathing (6 breaths a minute)
  3. Standing march60 s
    Beginner · Hip flexors, Abs, Glutes · 3D demoHold a chair if your feet are numbEasier: Seated marchHarder: Standing band hip flexion

Stand strong

  1. Mountain pose (Tadasana)5 to 10 slow breaths, twice
    Beginner · Calves, Back, Abs · 3D demoWithin reach of a wallHarder: Tree pose (Vrksasana)
  2. Chair pose (Utkatasana)3 holds of 5 breaths
    Beginner · Quads, Glutes, Shoulders · 3D demoSit back as if onto a tall stool. Keep breathing; never hold your breathHarder: Revolved chair pose (Parivrtta Utkatasana)
  3. Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)5 breaths each side
    Intermediate · Quads, Glutes, Adductors · 3D demoFront knee over your ankle; shorten your stance if your knee complainsEasier: Chair pose (Utkatasana)Harder: Extended side angle (Utthita Parsvakonasana)
  4. High lunge (crescent lunge, Ashta Chandrasana)5 breaths each side
    Intermediate · Quads, Glutes, Hip flexors · 3D demoA hand on a chair if you wobble; lower your arms if your shoulders complainEasier: Low lunge (Anjaneyasana)Harder: Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III)
  5. Goddess pose (Utkata Konasana)3 holds of 3 breaths
    Beginner · Quads, Adductors, Glutes · 3D demoKnees over your toes; stay shallow with knee painHarder: Deep squat hold

Chair and wall strength

  1. Sit to stand from a chair8 to 10 slow stands
    Beginner · Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings · 3D demoA firm chair with its back against a wallEasier: Sit to stand, pushing on the thighsHarder: Bodyweight squat
  2. Wall push-up10
    Beginner · Chest, Triceps, Shoulders · 3D demoHands on the wall at chest height, body in one lineHarder: Push-up

Balance at the wall

  1. Tree pose (Vrksasana)3 to 5 breaths each side, twice
    Beginner · Glutes, Hip abductors, Calves · 3D demoFingertips on the wall. Foot at your ankle or calf, never pressed into the side of your knee. With numb feet, keep a hand on the wall throughoutEasier: Mountain pose (Tadasana)Harder: Standing hand-to-big-toe pose (Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana)

On the floor

  1. Glute bridge2 sets of 8
    Beginner · Glutes, Hamstrings, Abs · 3D demoYour head stays on the floor. Afterwards, roll to your side and sit for a moment before you standEasier: Pelvic tilt into bridgeHarder: Single-leg glute bridge
  2. Reclining bound angle pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)2 min
    Beginner · Adductors, Chest · 3D demoA cushion under each thighHarder: Wide-angle seated forward fold (Upavistha Konasana)

Breathe and rest

  1. Alternate nostril breathing (Nadi Shodhana)3 min
    Beginner · 3D demoSitting up, with slow rounds and no holds. Skip it with a blocked nose and breathe slowly insteadEasier: Slow breathing (6 breaths a minute)
  2. Corpse pose (Savasana)5 min
    Beginner · 3D demoCome up slowly. On insulin or a sulfonylurea, check your blood sugar afterwards

Tips

  • On insulin or a sulfonylurea, check your blood sugar first: at 4 mmol/L or lower, treat the hypo and don't start. Keep hypo treatment by your mat, and keep checking for up to 24 hours afterwards.
  • Check your feet before and after. With numb feet, our suggestion is to do the standing poses in well-fitting shoes near a wall, or to swap to our seated chair yoga, borrowing the foot guideline's advice for walking; with an open sore, do seated poses only.
  • Every pose keeps your head up and there are no breath holds, so it suits every stage of diabetic retinopathy at a steady effort.
  • Practise in a comfortably cool room: heat and some diabetes medicines don't mix, and heat can damage insulin.
  • Never change a diabetes medicine yourself because you've started yoga. Add walking on other days: yoga lowers blood sugar about as much as other exercise, not more.

The doses are suggested starting points, not a prescription. Choose a range you can control and stop for sharp or increasing pain, numbness or tingling. Get individual advice after an injury or surgery, or if you are pregnant or managing a health condition.

Guides that recommend it

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Questions people ask

How long does the yoga for diabetes: a 35-minute head-up practice take?

About 35 minutes, including any warm-up and cool-down listed. Shorten it by doing fewer rounds; lengthen it by adding one.

What equipment do I need?

You need: A bench or box, A wall, Firm cushion. Each move links to its guide, where you can find an alternative if you are missing something.

Is it suitable for beginners?

It is written for beginners. 8 of its 17 moves have an easier option listed beside them if you need one.

How do I make it easier or harder?

Use the easier or harder option listed under each move, change the number of rounds, or adjust the rest. Progress one change at a time.