Psoriatic Arthritis: Say No To The Fatigue

When it comes to psoriatic arthritis, one of the most common symptoms that you will be faced with is fatigue. It is important that you figure out how to fight this fatigue so that you aren't wore out all the time. Luckily, there are a few changes to your lifestyle that you can make that can help you battle fatigue so that you can have more energy and not feel so much like garbage every day.

Make Sure You're Eating Right

You've probably heard what you put in your body has an effect on how your body feels. While you may have used to think that this was just a myth, there really is some truth behind it. What you eat can have a big impact on how much energy you have. So, you will want to avoid sugary and starchy foods and stick to whole grains, lean proteins and fresh fruits and vegetables as much as possible.

Get Your Body Moving – But Pace Yourself

In order to keep yourself energized, you must use the energy that your body current has. This means that you need to get your body moving, but you don't want to move your body in a way that you hurt it. After all, the arthritis hurts enough, right? The best types of exercises for individuals with psoriatic arthritis are strength training, range of motion and endurance/weight-bearing exercises. Free weights are great for strength training and should be used a couple of times a week.

Performed on a daily basis, range of motion exercises can be as simple as extending and flexing the wrist, elbow or other areas of the body. For endurance and weight-bearing exercises, swimming, walking and biking are all great options, which should be performed two to three times a week for at least 20 minutes at a time. Ultimately, you will want to start off slow, rest when needed and stop before you get too tired.

Get Better Sleep at Night

Studies show that individuals with psoriatic arthritis have a diminished sleep quality. As a result, they are more likely to experience anxiety and pain. When you aren't getting enough sleep or poor sleep at night, you will feel extremely tired during the day. Therefore, it is important that you take steps to improve your sleeping patterns so that you can reduce your feelings of fatigue. You can start by avoiding caffeine at least a few hours prior to hitting the sheets and turning your bedroom into a sleeping environment (dark, quiet and cool). Get yourself on a routine where you're either talking a nighttime walk, a bath or even reading a book about an hour or so before bedtime.

When your psoriatic arthritis is just becoming too much for you to handle, consider consulting with an orthopedic surgeon about what treatment options may be available for your individual situation.