Practicing self-care
Your mental and emotional well-being is an important part of your overall health.
Your mental health matters.
Making changes to benefit your physical health? That’s important. However, taking care of your mental health is also important to feeling your best. Find out how.
Three ways to support your mental health:
Sleep
Sleep is a restorative tool that helps increase your energy levels, lowers your blood pressure, and more. One tip for getting at least seven hours of recommended sleep each night: Go to bed at the same time every night, even on weekends to get your body into a routine.1
Daily movement
Just 30 minutes of movement each day can help prevent and ease type 2 diabetes symptoms.2 Two ideas: Go for short walks, or find a buddy to keep you accountable.
Community
Spending time with family and friends can have a positive effect on your mental well-being.3 You can connect by making time to get outside, play games, cook or exercise together.
Your culture, diabetes and mental health.
Let’s talk about finding ways for your mental well-being to feel supported in your community.
For Hispanics/Latinos, culturally trained doctors are important
Miscommunication with health care providers is a common issue in the Hispanic/Latino community.4 Finding help on myCigna.com® from mental health professionals who are bilingual or speak Spanish can help you feel understood.
For African American/Black people, talking is key
African American/Black people are 20% more likely to experience mental distress due to the systemic racism they’ve experienced.5 Making time to talk with family and friends, a therapist, or support groups about shared trauma can lead to treatment ideas, better understanding and more helpful resources.
For South Asians, self-care can be a sign of strength
Many may believe that having mental health struggles will bring shame upon the family, and so struggles continue.6 But you can manage your mental health with self-care and find strength by seeking support from a therapist who understands you.
Tips for managing stress and anxiety.
Did you know lowering stress can help you lower your blood sugar — which helps to both prevent and manage diabetes?7 It’s true. There are simple things you can do to maintain your emotional health and help keep your stress levels low, such as getting daily exercise, talking with friends, taking breaks and finding things in your day that bring you joy. Watch this quick video for more ideas.
Did you know?
1 in 5
adults in the United States lives with mental illness. Know that you are not alone in your journey to mental wellness.8
86%
of adults in the United States believe people with mental health disorders can get better.9
75%
of adults in the United States believe self-care activities can help reduce stress.10
Let’s talk about self-care ideas.
Here are a few ways you can incorporate self-care into your everyday routines to help boost your mood and improve your overall wellness:
Practice meditation or mindfulness
Sit quietly and focus on your breathing for just five minutes a day. This can help clear your mind and relieve stress.11
Try journaling
Making time to write down your thoughts every day can help you reflect on what you’re feeling inside.
Enjoy time outside
Get outside and get some vitamin D; take a walk, exercise or relax with family and friends. Even just 10 minutes of sun exposure to your hands, face, neck and arms can help improve your mood.12
Spend time with family and friends
The power of connection can help bring more joy to your life. Here are some ideas: Cook together, create meaningful conversations, listen to music and dance.
Connect with your faith
Find a place to gather, make time to reflect on your own or read. Religion and spirituality can help you feel more peace and purpose in your life.
Find a mental health care provider
Get extra support for your mental health. Having a mental health provider to talk to about your feelings can help you feel heard and understood.
Get free or reduced-cost support now.
Quickly search and connect with hundreds of organizations near you. Find individual and family counseling, help hotlines, peer support groups, spiritual support and more.
- CDC. “Sleep for a Good Cause.” https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/features/diabetes-sleep.html Page last updated July 28, 2022.
- WebMD. “Exercise and Type 2 Diabetes.” https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/exercise-guidelines Page last updated February 23, 2023.
- CDC. “How Does Social Connectedness Affect Health?” https://www.cdc.gov/emotional-wellbeing/social-connectedness/affect-health.htm Page last updated March 30, 2023.
- Mental Health America. “Latinx/Hispanic Communities and Mental Health.” https://www.mhanational.org/issues/latinxhispanic-communities-and-mental-health
- The Cigna Group. “Breaking Down the Mental Health Stigma in the Black Community.” https://newsroom.thecignagroup.com/breaking-down-mental-health-stigma-black-community
- Karasz, A., Gany, F., Escobar, J., Flores, C., Prasad, L., Inman, A., Kalasapudi, V., Kosi, R., Murthy, M., Leng, J., & Diwan, S. “Mental Health and Stress Among South Asians.” Journal of immigrant and minority health, 21(Suppl 1), 7–14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-016-0501-4 Article issued August 1, 2019.
- WebMD. “Managing Stress When You Have Diabetes.” https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/managing-stress Page published March 18, 2023.
- CDC. “About Mental Health.” https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm Page last updated April 25, 2023
- American Psychological Association. “Survey: Americans Becoming More Open About Mental Health.” https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2019/05/mental-health-survey Page published May 1, 2019.
- Vagaro. “Vagaro Survey Finds Three-Quarters of Americans Believe Self-Care Activities Provide Stress Relief.” [Press release]. https://www.vagaro.com/news/press-release/survey-finds-three-quarters-of-americans-believe-self-care-activities-provide-stress-relief Page published January 14, 2021.
- Cigna Healthcare. “Stress Management: Doing Meditation.” https://www.cigna.com/knowledge-center/hw/medical-topics/stress-management-uz2240 Page last updated June 25, 2023.
- Healthline. “How to Safely Get Vitamin D From Sunlight.” https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-d-from-sun Page last updated Jun 23, 2023.