Routine is important for just about everyone, of every age and background. Routine does several things for your body, many of them related to diabetes, some of them general to the human body. That being said, keeping a daily routine will help your mental and emotional state, as well as your diabetes.

What Is the Deal With Routine?

Routine is preached to new parents, citing routine as one of the basic building blocks of a child’s security and comfort. Children are said to learn about life through a routine, as they know what to expect and feel safe enough to explore within their expectations and boundaries. Although this particular reaction to routine doesn’t exactly extend into adulthood, the importance of routine does.

As an adult, a routine provides peace of mind and consistency for your body. In diabetes, peace of mind is critical; keeping stress levels low keeps your blood pressure down, and keeps inflammation low. Elevated stress levels can prompt diabetes complications and co-morbid conditions.

Routine is also useful for diabetes, as eating and drinking at a certain time, exercising at a set time, and sleeping at a set time can help more thoroughly and effectively monitor and anticipate blood glucose levels.

Why Diabetics Should Have a Routine

#1. Stress Levels Are Lower

Routines have been proven to lower stress levels. High stress levels elevate cortisol production, which can prematurely age you, exacerbate high blood pressure, and cause inflammation. Routine can ease the stress of the unknown and prevent the effects of high anxiety.

#2. Preparation Is Easier

Prepping your medication and food is far easier if you know what to expect in your day-to-day routine. A routine will allow you to have all of your supplies, food, and drinks on hand to make sure your blood sugar is kept within reasonable levels.

#3. Blood Sugar Is More Predictable

With consistency, you can also more effectively predict your blood sugar. If you eat similar items every day at the same time and exercise at the same time, you can more readily identify any changes in your body and can more easily predict how your body and blood sugar will react.

#4. Making Changes Is Easier

Consistency also takes the guesswork out of making changes to your diabetes habits. If you take your medication at a certain time and find that isn’t working, incorporating a new time is simple; you move your routine up or back. If your body isn’t responding well to exercising in the morning, having a set schedule can make rearranging a breeze.

#5. You Have a Reference for Your Doctors

Finally, a regular schedule is useful for your doctors. If you’ve noticed a sharp climb or drop in your blood sugar around a certain time, you can refer to your schedule to determine what might be causing it. Similarly, if you notice certain aches or pains, or other diabetes-related issues following food consumption, time, or activity, you can easily determine what the culprit may be.

Not everyone can create a minute-by-minute routine for their day, due to work, family, or other obligations, but including as much of a schedule as you can into your days can help manage your diabetes.