6 Ways to Ease Type 2 Diabetes Burnout

Living with type 2 diabetes can be stressful and exhausting. There’s so much to keep up with to manage your blood sugar (glucose) and overall health.

“People may feel overwhelmed by monitoring glucose, medication schedules, food decisions, and concerns about complications,” says Barbara Eichorst, RD, CDCES, vice president of health programs at the American Diabetes Association (ADA).

That feeling of being overwhelmed can become so severe that some people begin to neglect diabetes care — a phenomenon often referred to as diabetes burnout.

• Mental and physical exhaustion from the self-care needed to manage diabetes
• Feeling disconnected from themselves, from people in their life who support them, or from caring about diabetes
• A range of other tough feelings, such as detachment, exhaustion, helplessness, and vulnerability
• Feeling stuck and unable to help themselves out of burnout

People with type 2 diabetes burnout may stop practicing healthy lifestyle habits or skip doctor’s appointments or medication doses, says Fady Hannah-Shmouni, MD, an endocrinologist in Vancouver, British Columbia, and medical director of Eli Health.

“Experiencing burnout is common and understandable. Type 2 diabetes management requires hundreds of daily decisions, and feeling overwhelmed doesn’t mean anyone has failed,” says Eichorst.

If you’re feeling burnt out, it’s important for your long-term health to get back on track with diabetes care — and caring for your mental well-being. This can help prevent complications and may help you better manage your energy levels.

“Start with small, achievable steps, rather than trying to change everything at once,” says Eichorst. Here are a few simple changes you can make to ease the emotional and physical burdens of living with diabetes and more effectively manage the condition:

1. Make Meal Planning Easier

When you’re feeling low, mustering the energy to make elaborate, healthy meals can feel difficult. Explore ways to make food preparation easier. For example, some people prefer to cook in batches and freeze meals for later. Others may ask a friend or family member to pitch in with making meals that are diabetes friendly. Shortcuts, such as selecting prewashed, precut, frozen, or canned vegetables can remove some of the work from meal prep, too.

The ADA offers the Diabetes Plate template to take some of the guesswork out of balancing meals. With this framework, half your plate should be nonstarchy vegetables, a quarter should be lean protein, and another quarter should be complex carbohydrates.

2. Automate What You Can

If you’re having trouble keeping up with medication doses or glucose checks, consider setting timers or phone reminders, Eichorst suggests. That way, you can free yourself of some of the mental load of remembering.

For personalized strategies that can fit into your daily life, Eichorst recommends diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES). Ask your doctor if there’s a local DSMES program, or look for one using the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists or ADA's search tool.

3. Talk to Your Doctor About Adjusting Your Treatment Plan

Diabetes treatment is important, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be all or nothing. “If the root of the burnout is the mental load of dealing with the condition, scaling back treatment plans might be necessary to getting back on track,” says Dr. Hannah-Shmouni. “Consult with a healthcare professional to identify achievable short-term goals.”

This could mean adjusting medications or maybe finding easier methods, such as wearing a continuous glucose monitor instead of using a glucose meter and sticking your finger throughout the day. The same idea can apply to lifestyle management. For example, if your hour-long exercise routine feels like too much right now, try splitting it into 30-minute sessions.

“Diabetes care is a journey, not a test of perfection,” says Eichorst. “Even small steps — like one healthy meal, one walk, or one glucose check — are meaningful progress.”

4. Find Ways to Handle Fatigue

Talk to your doctor about the fatigue you’re having. There may be things you can do to increase your energy, depending on what’s causing the fatigue. “If you’re experiencing fatigue, blood sugar management, sleep apnea treatment, and other types of care might be able to alleviate some of the exhaustion, making the daily steps of dealing with diabetes feel more achievable,” says Hannah-Shmouni.

5. Seek Support When You Need It

Your primary care physician can help you identify the factors that have led to burnout and help you decide if you need additional support. That could include a personal trainer or physical therapist to help you create a movement plan, a dietitian to offer healthy eating strategies, or a sleep specialist to offer strategies for dealing with conditions that are affecting your sleep.

Your doctor may refer you to a mental health professional, who can help you through the challenges of living with type 2 diabetes. Or consider searching the ADA’s directory of mental health professionals to find someone who specializes in supporting people with diabetes.

It’s also a good idea to join a support group of people living with type 2 diabetes. Talking with others who have similar experiences can help you feel less alone and learn strategies for coping with burnout.

6. Manage Stress

Explore stress management techniques to see what helps you feel less overwhelmed or anxious. You may even find some of the techniques fun. Consider:

• Practicing meditation, mindfulness, or deep breathing exercises
• Doing gentle movement, such as tai chi, walking, or yoga
• Keeping a gratitude journal
• Practicing a calming bedtime routine consisting of reading, a warm bath, or something else that relaxes you
• Engaging regularly in a hobby that brings you joy

While it can take time and effort to emerge from type 2 diabetes burnout, small steps can put you on the path to feeling better and regaining control of your self-care.

“With the right support, education, and small adjustments, you can regain confidence and reengage with your care,” says Eichorst.

• For people with type 2 diabetes, burnout can occur due to stress and exhaustion from juggling aspects of managing the disease.
• People with diabetes burnout can neglect their care, which puts them at higher risk of diabetes complications.
• Easing burnout is possible and can be done by taking small steps toward better self-care and disease management.
• Find ways to make diabetes management and self-care easier. Lean on support, which can include your primary care doctor, specialists, mental health provider, support group, family, and friends.