November is Diabetes Awareness Month, dedicated to fostering understanding and support for the millions of people across the globe living with diabetes. Critically, it’s also a time for those affected by the disease—whether newly diagnosed or well along in their journey—to learn more about the illness and explore ways to better manage symptoms and improve long-term health. 

Living with a chronic illness can feel overwhelming—especially in the beginning. For those diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, the hardest part of the journey is often just taking those first steps forward. “Eat clean.” “Be active.” “Do this.” “Don’t do that.” The list of rules for living with diabetes is long—and can often seem vague or confusing to those with limited health literacy.  

Yet all it takes is a plan. A plan for Day 1, that can be carried over into Day 2, Day 3, Day 365, and beyond. People with diabetes don’t need to reinvent their lives overnight. Small, consistent adjustments go a long way. Every action taken to manage the condition is progress—and over time, their collective impact will show.  

Ultimately, managing diabetes is all about honoring one’s body and mind. Eating nutritious foods, staying active, getting quality sleep, managing stress, and maintaining a healthy routine—these are the basics to living well with diabetes. It’s not about deprivation or rigidity. Instead, it’s about moderation, balance, and learning to listen to one’s body and what it needs.  

For those with Type 1—and some with Type 2—diabetes, medication, blood glucose monitoring, and regular check-ups with a healthcare provider or care team are also critical components of an effective management plan. These elements should always be discussed with one’s healthcare provider to ensure safety and alignment with individual needs.  

Other than that, however, the advice is universal: eat healthy, move consistently, sleep soundly, and manage stress effectively. With that in mind, here are some practical lifestyle tips individuals can start applying today to feel better tomorrow and support their long-term health and wellbeing.  

Nutrition

One of the most important changes a person can make to better manage diabetes is adopting a healthier diet.  

A nutritious diet helps in several ways. Not only does it support weight management, which plays a key role in blood sugar control, but it also enhances sleep quality, reduces stress, boosts energy, and promotes better mental health—all of which have a significant impact on blood sugar stability and overall wellbeing. 

Specifically, it’s important for people with diabetes to keep in mind what and how they eat. There are a few rules of thumb to follow regarding the former. A diabetes-friendly diet generally consists of: 

• Non-starchy vegetables, like asparagus, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, celery, cucumber, green beans, and salad greens 
• Lean proteins, such as chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, and plant-based proteins (e.g., tofu, lentils, beans) 
• High-fiber carbs, like whole grains (e.g., oats, quinoa, brown rice), legumes, and fruits such as berries, apples, and bananas 
• Unsaturated fats, including nuts, seeds, avocado, and olive oil 

and limits or avoids foods high in added sugars, refined grains, and saturated or trans fats, such as sodas and sweetened juices, fried and processed foods, and red meat.  

More important than knowing what to eat, however, is learning how to stay on track. Changing one’s diet can be a daunting task—especially when it feels forced or restrictive. That’s why many experts recommend gradual, consistent tweaks over drastic changes.  

For instance, instead of cutting out bread or pasta entirely, one might switch to whole-grain options as a more sustainable alternative. Another practical adjustment would be to—rather than completely depriving oneself of a favorite bag of chips at lunchtime—reduce the portion size and replace what was cut with vegetables, improving one’s diet while still honoring cravings.  

Other tips experts recommend for maintaining a healthy diet over the long term include:  

• Eating smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day: This helps to avoid big spikes or drops in blood sugar, improves insulin sensitivity, and supports healthy metabolism 
• Following the Diabetes Plate Method: This technique, which involves filling half of a 9-inch plate with non-starchy vegetables, a quarter with lean protein, and the remaining quarter with healthy carbs, helps ensure a balanced intake of nutrients without the need to constantly count calories or stress over portion sizes 
• Keeping a food journal: Tracking meals and snacks can help individuals stay accountable and recognize patterns—how different foods make them feel, whether they’re eating out of hunger, boredom, or stress, and what adjustments might help them feel better and stay on track 
• Creating a 7-day meal plan: Planning meals ahead of time can reduce decision fatigue, help maintain variety, and prevent impulsive food choices. It also makes grocery shopping more intentional and ensures that balanced, diabetes-friendly foods are always available 

Exercise

Together with healthy eating, staying active is one of the most effective—and accessible—ways to manage diabetes and protect long-term health.  

There is no single prescribed way to exercise. All forms of movement can make a difference and offer similar benefits when practiced regularly and consistently enough. That is, they can all help: 

• Alleviate stress 
• Manage weight 
• Increase insulin sensitivity 
• Stabilize blood sugar 
• Improve mood 
• Enhance sleep quality 
• Support cardiovascular health 

Exercise aids diabetes management in two key ways. When a person engages in physical activity, their muscles draw on blood sugar for energy, lowering glucose levels in the short term. Over time, regular exercise also enhances insulin sensitivity, optimizing the body’s ability to use insulin more efficiently to transport glucose into cells.  

That said, experts generally recommend a combination of aerobic exercise and strength (or resistance) training to help manage diabetes. Specifically, individuals should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, paired with at least two to three sessions of strength training.  

Fortunately, there is no shortage of ways to achieve this. It’s simply a matter of finding what feels best and works with one’s schedule. If that means going to the gym to exercise—great. If it means working out at home—that works, too. Even sneaking just 10 minutes of exercise between meetings or other obligations throughout the day can add up over time and yield positive results.  

Common aerobic activities good for diabetes management include: 

• Brisk walking 
• Running 
• Cycling 
• Swimming 
• Dancing 

While strength training may take the form of: 

• Weightlifting 
• Resistance band workouts 
• Calisthenics (e.g., pushups, squats, burpees, planks, crunches, lunges) 
• Climbing stairs 

Yoga, Pilates, and Tai Chi are also examples of low-impact mind-body exercises people can practice to improve blood sugar control, reduce stress, and boost metabolic function. 

Once again, how individuals approach their fitness routine is entirely up to them. While gym memberships come with a fee, exercise itself is free. People don’t need a gym to stay active—something as simple as taking a walk or going for a run around the neighborhood after work can make a meaningful difference. Committing to always take the stairs instead of the elevator—whether at work, at home, or elsewhere—is yet another small but powerful way to incorporate more movement into one’s day.  

Ultimately, all that matters is consistency. For those who struggle with staying accountable to their fitness goals, joining a group class, enrolling in a local program, or exercising with a buddy can help build motivation and routine. Dog owners, too, can internalize their pets’ need for daily activity as extra motivation to get moving—turning daily walks into another simple way to stay active and consistent.  

Sleep 

One of the aforementioned benefits of regular exercise is better sleep.  

Quality sleep is crucial for effective diabetes management. Poor sleep is linked to higher insulin resistance and blood sugar levels, elevated HbA1c (a marker of long-term blood sugar control), increased appetite and weight gain, and worsened cardiometabolic health. In contrast, getting enough restful sleep helps regulate key hormones like insulin, cortisol (stress), and ghrelin (appetite); improves glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity; increases energy; and supports overall mental and physical wellbeing—both of which are crucial to maintaining a healthy diet and exercise routine.  

Nutrition, exercise, and sleep go hand in hand—each reinforcing the other to promote clearer thinking, sustained motivation, a more stable mood, and greater energy. This, in turn, helps people follow through on health and wellness goals, maintain healthy habits, stay disciplined, and address challenges more effectively. 

When a person gets enough sleep, they’re more attuned to their internal cues—recognizing when they’re hungry, thirsty, fatigued, bored, anxious, or stressed—and better able to respond appropriately, whether by eating, drinking, moving, resting, relaxing, or journaling. Sound sleepers also tend to make more balanced food choices, feel more productive and active throughout the day, and manage stress with greater ease. 

Of course, getting a good night’s sleep is easier said than done. Just like with diet and exercise, building a healthy sleep routine takes time and requires consistent effort. Some tips for gradually improving one’s sleep include: 

• Avoid eating within three hours of bedtime 
• Refrain from caffeine six to eight hours before bedtime  
• Get regular physical activity throughout the day 
• Limit screentime before bed (ideally avoiding devices an hour beforehand) 
• Keep naps short—20 to 30 minutes maximum—and avoid them after midday (if tired, try light movement instead) 
• Reserve the bedroom for rest and relaxation, not work or entertainment 

Building a healthy sleep routine also reinforces the skill of consistency itself. Discipline is an essential trait for effective health management. Being disciplined in one area of life—whether with work, exercise, sleep, or diet—often makes it easier to stay disciplined in others. Just as sufficient sleep makes for better performance at work or in school, so, too, does it enable individuals to better manage diabetes.  

Stress

At the heart of the need for better sleep lies the need for minimal stress.  

Stress plays an underrated yet vital role in diabetes management. High cortisol levels are associated with elevated blood sugar, poor glucose control, increased insulin resistance, weight gain, and greater risk of heart disease and other complications.  

When the body is stressed, it goes into “fight-or-fight” mode. This triggers the release of excess glucose for quick energy while temporarily suppressing nonessential functions like digestion and immune activity. Over time, this response can contribute to higher baseline blood sugar levels, greater fatigue, and impaired cardiometabolic function. 

Chronic or poorly managed stress is also associated with: 

• Stronger food cravings—especially for high-sugar or high-fat foods 
• Insomnia or restless sleep 
• Fatigue and burnout—physical and emotional 
• Mental health challenges like anxiety and depression 

all of which undermine a person’s ability to effectively manage their diabetes effectively and maintain overall wellbeing.  

That said, effective stress management is a core component of a strong diabetes management routine. Fortunately—and once again—there is no one-size-fits-all way to alleviate stress. It all comes down to personal preference and finding strategies that encourage consistency and sustained engagement.  

Common strategies for alleviating stress include: 

• Regular exercise 
• Mindfulness and meditation practices  
• Creative hobbies (e.g., writing, journaling, painting, cooking, gardening, etc.) 
• Social outings and meaningful connection 
• Counseling or therapy 

Most organizations offer access to counseling and a range of wellbeing services through their Employee Assistance Program—or EAP. Information about available support can typically be obtained from HR or the program directly.  

How the EAP Can Help Individuals with Diabetes Thrive 

EAPs are an invaluable resource for employees with diabetes. Beyond counseling support, many EAPs offer access to wellness coaching, mindfulness programs, self-guided tools, and educational resources that promote better stress management and overall wellbeing. 

Following so many rules at once can prove challenging and ultimately demotivating. But with professional guidance, individuals with diabetes can learn how to simplify each task into manageable steps, address them one at a time, and gradually build a healthy, sustainable routine that supports long-term health. 

Nowhere in the playbook does it say that those with diabetes must go it alone. Strong social support—particularly professional support—is a fundamental component of successful and sustainable diabetes management.  

Take the first step toward better health today. Contact HR or your EAP for more information about available support.