Mindfulness practices could offer real benefits to people with type 2 diabetes, according to a new study by Australian researchers. The findings suggest that these mental health tools may help patients better manage stress, stick to lifestyle changes, and even improve blood sugar control.
The research, published in Integrative Medicine Research, was led by the National Institute of Complementary Medicine (NICM) at Western Sydney University. It involved a systematic review of 31 global randomized controlled trials, covering 2,337 participants with type 2 diabetes.
A Global Health Crisis
Type 2 diabetes is a long-term condition that affects how the body controls blood sugar. It is a growing public health challenge, affecting over 1.25 million people in Australia. Experts believe another 500,000 Australians may have the disease without knowing it. Globally, nearly 500 million people live with diabetes.
If left unmanaged, the condition can lead to severe complications, including heart disease, kidney failure, vision loss, and nerve damage.
Supporting Lifestyle Changes
Diet and exercise remain the foundation of type 2 diabetes management. But making and maintaining these changes can be difficult for many patients.
Study lead Associate Professor Carolyn Ee said mindfulness might help bridge that gap.
“People with type 2 diabetes often struggle with stress, anxiety, and depression, which can make it harder to maintain healthy habits,” said A/Prof Ee. “We wanted to explore whether mindfulness could help people adopt and stick with these behavior changes.”
What Is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness involves paying attention to the present moment and accepting experiences without judgment. Techniques often include meditation, breathing exercises, body scans, and mindful movement.
To be included in the review, each intervention had to focus on developing mindfulness through formal practices like mindful breathing or body scanning.
Mental and Physical Benefits
The study found that mindfulness practices could reduce stress, depression, and anxiety in people with type 2 diabetes. These mental health improvements, in turn, may support better self-care and long-term management of the disease.
Importantly, the research also found signs that mindfulness may help lower HbA1c levels—a key measure of blood sugar control. However, A/Prof Ee cautioned that more evidence is needed to confirm long-term effects.
“Mindfulness shows promise in helping people manage blood sugar and possibly even reduce blood pressure,” she said. “But we need more large-scale studies to fully understand the impact.”
Stress and Blood Sugar
Previous research has shown that psychological stress can affect blood sugar levels. It can disrupt sleep, reduce physical activity, and lead to poor diet choices, all of which raise HbA1c levels.
By lowering stress and improving mental health, mindfulness may indirectly support better blood sugar regulation.
The findings support the idea that mind-body approaches like mindfulness could become valuable tools in diabetes care—alongside medical treatments, diet, and exercise.
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