Which workouts can bring down blood sugar levels the fastest?

Holistic health expert Dr Mickey Mehta selects some routines that work for everybody

Strength training is a good choice for people with diabetes because one uses more muscles.(Representative Photo/File)

Of all the interventions that you can think of that would bring your blood sugar down, exercise is the fastest and most effective way. Any kind of physical activity demands instant energy. As a result, cells deliver glucose to the muscles and blood sugar levels drop. That’s why people with diabetes are advised to get at least 150 minutes a week, spaced out across multiple days, of moderate-intensity activity. Correct breathing integrated with exercises will have more benefits.

Several types of workouts can effectively lower blood sugar levels quickly. Here are some of them.

Aerobic Exercises: Why cycling is the best bet

Activities like brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, dancing, or any other continuous movement that raises your heart rate can rapidly lower blood sugar levels. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise. Studies have now shown that cycling at a moderate pace for an hour allows overweight people with diabetes to halve their blood sugar levels over 24 hours. Even cycling faster for only half an hour can reduce levels for an entire day, besides helping you lose weight.

Strength training: Do that squat

Strength training is a good choice for people with diabetes because one uses more muscles. This helps with calorie burn, increasing muscle mass, improving daily metabolism, particularly blood sugar metabolism. You may use free weights, a machine or your body weight while doing squats. These are effective for those with diabetes since they work on multiple muscle groups at one go, helping you burn more calories.

Exercises with weights, resistance bands or body weight can also help reduce blood sugar levels. They enhance insulin sensitivity and muscle mass, which over time helps improve blood sugar regulation.

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): Pushups or brisk walks

Short bursts of intensive exercise are interspersed with shorter rest or low-intensity activity intervals in High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), for example sprinting or bodyweight exercises. Because HIIT produces notable gains in insulin sensitivity and cardiovascular fitness in a shorter amount of time, it can also be useful in managing diabetes and prediabetes. The intense intervals improve the body’s ability to use fat and glucose as fuel by promoting the synthesis of mitochondria, the energy-producing centres of cells. Furthermore, even after the workout is over, HIIT workouts can burn calories at a higher rate, which helps with weight management and better glycaemic control.

I would recommend dumbbell squats for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds; repeat until you can’t do it anymore. You can do burpees (an exercise where you squat, do a pushup, and then jump in the air) for 20 seconds, rest for 30 seconds; 10 rounds. Pushups for 30 seconds, rest for 10 seconds; six rounds. Run on a treadmill for 12 minutes; run for 20 seconds, rest for 30 seconds.

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Over time, yoga can help lower blood sugar levels by activating pancreas, enhancing circulation and blood flow. Fundamentally, Surya Namaskars are good.

Do your safety check

Check your blood sugar levels before and after exercise to prevent hypoglycemia, especially if you are on insulin or other medications. Keep yourself hydrated as it helps in controlling blood sugar. Workout in the morning and a stretch exercise or a walk in the evening would help too.