Staying active — every day

With daily movement, you can help prevent and manage diabetes.

Why your physical health matters.

From lowering your blood sugar levels and losing weight to boosting muscle strength, heart health and your overall mood — there are many reasons why being active is important. Start slow, make a plan and find yourself creating new habits. Learn about other ways to add movement into your day by watching this video.

Let’s talk about simple ways to stay active.

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Burn calories dancing

Try making dance a part of your morning routine or a fun thing you do with family and friends after work — you can burn up to 300 calories within 30 minutes.1

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Walk during lunchtime

Getting up from your workspace and walking for 10 to 30 minutes could leave you feeling more productive, boost your mood and your physical health.2

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Exercise together

From home workout videos to community classes, yoga, biking, basketball, cricket, running, boxing and badminton — there are lots of fun ways to stay active together.

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Get energized outside

Vitamin D can boost your mood and energy level and just 10 minutes of exposure helps.3 Walk, run or play sports — there are many fun activities to do outside alone or with your loved ones.

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Set a goal for yourself

From taking 1,000 or more additional steps per day to adding one more workout to every week, a goal can help you stay consistent with your health.

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Make time to stretch

You don’t need to work up a sweat to give your body healthy movement. In fact, stretching for 10 minutes is a great low-impact activity that doesn’t put strain on your joints.4

Your culture, diabetes and physical health.

It can be difficult to take time away from family or spend extra money on fitness equipment or even get yourself motivated to get active after a long day at work.5 Here are some tips and tricks to remember when you need encouragement.

Every minute of
movement matters

Breaking up your day with activities such as gardening, walking and playing with your kids are all ways you can stay active and support your health.

No membership to a
gym is needed

You don’t need fancy equipment to get moving. Here are some alternative ideas to try at home: Do chair exercises, use water bottles as weights or walk stairs in your home or apartment.

Mix it up to
stay motivated

Exercise burnout is real. Keep it interesting by inviting a friend to join you on a walk or workout class, and remind yourself to switch up activities from time to time so you don’t lose motivation.

Did you know that regular exercise can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by 50%?2

How is sleep related to your movement?

Sleep is when your body repairs itself, and getting at least seven hours of sleep each night can increase your energy levels, which helps you stay active every day.6 It also can help prevent and manage type 2 diabetes. Here’s how:

Lowers risk of anxiety and depression7

Decreases blood pressure levels7

Strengthens your immune system to fight off infections7

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Get free or reduced-cost support now.

Quickly search and connect with hundreds of organizations near you. Find virtual and in-person exercise classes, community recreation services, wellness programs and more.

Search findhelp.org

Additional physical health resources

Staying active as a family

Here are some tips for getting the whole family moving — together.

Explore ideas for your family

Reaching your fitness goals

Check out the programs and apps on myCigna®, such as “Track Your Fitness,” which helps you set goals and track your progress.

Log in to myCigna

Finding alternative ways to stay active

You and your family don’t need a gym membership. Gardening, dancing and other creative ways to stay active can help keep you moving and reduce exercise burnout.

Find an activity you enjoy
  1. Healthy Hispanic Living. “21 Secrets from Latin American women to stay healthy and fit.” https://healthyhispanicliving.com/fitness/lifestyle/21_secrets_from_latin_american_women_to_stay_healthy_and_fit/ Page published  February 28, 2022.
  2. WebMD. “Exercise and Type 2 Diabetes.” https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/exercise-guidelines Page last updated February 23, 2023.
  3. Healthline. “How to Safely Get Vitamin D From Sunlight.” https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-d-from-sun Page last updated Jun 23, 2023.
  4. Healthline. “Stretching: 9 Benefits, Plus Safety Tips and How to Start.” https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-stretching Page published May 19, 2023.
  5. American Diabetes Association. “Overcome Barriers and Get Moving.” https://diabetes.org/health-wellness/fitness/overcoming-barriers n.d
  6. CDC. “How Does Sleep Affect Your Heart Health?” https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/sleep.htm Page published January 4, 2021.
  7. CDC. “Sleep for a Good Cause.” https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/features/diabetes-sleep.html Page published July 28, 2022.