Virtual Reality in Action: A Realistic Approach for Effective Diabetes Management

Key Takeaways

• Moderately intense VR games like Beat Saber help me manage glucose levels.
• I break up sedentary work with short, active VR sessions throughout the day.
• VR gaming helps me stay motivated and combat boredom.

As someone living with Type II diabetes, I have to constantly monitor and manage my glucose levels. However, I also have to live my life and get work done, so I need the right tools to help me keep things in check. It turns out, for me, a key tool is my Meta Quest 2 VR headset.

The contents of this article don’t constitute medical advice. I am not a medical professional, and I always listen to my doctor and diabetes coach above anyone else. If you want to try anything new when managing a condition like diabetes, you absolutely must discuss it with your doctor first!

I Have Limited Time and Space to Stay Active During the Day

One of the main reasons I even developed diabetes in the first place is because my life is quite a sedentary one. First as an IT professional, then as an academic, and today as a full-time professional writer. I spend most of my time sitting in a chair typing on a computer, which is not a recipe for a healthy metabolism. I’m working towards remission, or at the very least no longer having to depend on medication, but a key part of keeping my blood sugar levels down is simply moving around.

I have a treadmill, which is a crucial tool in my arsenal, but I need to break up my sit-down work with periods of activity throughout the day, not just one session of exercise.

I tried the standing desk thing for a while, but I just can’t be productive while standing up. I also like to use the Pomodoro method , so that I get up at least once an hour, but just getting up isn’t enough. I need to get the juices flowing somehow! That’s where my Quest headset has proven invaluable, but that’s just part of my toolkit

I Have a Constant Glucose Monitoring Sensor Installed

I’ve been into technology for so long, the technology is now literally into me. I use the excellent FreeStyle Libre 2 , which is a sensor that’s stuck to you for 14 days at a time, measuring your glucose levels every minute. It then sends that reading to an app on my phone using Bluetooth, which means that I technically have a Bluetooth connection now. I have an alarm set up to warn me if my glucose wanders out of the safe zone, which means I immediately know if I need to do something to improve my glucose levels.

I Use My Quest 2 Headset to Get My Sugar Down to Safe Levels

Beat Games

If I get a warning about my blood sugar levels, all I have to do is get up, strap on my Quest headset, and play something moderately intense. My preferred games are titles like Beat Saber and Blade & Sorcery Nomad . However, it doesn’t even have to be a particularly intense game to help turn my rising glucose levels around. Even titles like Walkabout Mini Golf help take the edge off just by getting me on my feet for a good session. For me, anything between 15 and 20 minutes seems to do the trick, but it’s likely different for every person. As much fun as these sessions are, I’ve learned that doing too much can be just as bad for me, and I’ve actually hurt myself in VR by overdoing games like Beat Saber.

VR Helps Solve Both Motivation and Boredom Factors

As someone with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) in addition to a serious metabolic disorder, it can be hard to consistently have motivation or interest to actively manage my glucose levels. My VR headset, which I can just slip on at any moment, has let me largely solve both issues.

I want to play games in VR, and there’s such a variety of games with the right level of physical activity, that boredom is no excuse. I don’t have the excuse of time or space either, because I don’t need much space and it takes no time at all to quickly slip into a gladiatorial arena and blow off some steam.

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