Calming meditation
Your Guide
to Managing
Arthritis Pain
Waking up with morning stiffness is common for those who experience rheumatoid arthritis. These tips are designed to help you get your day started while addressing morning pain and stiffness.
Morning Routine
Healthy breakfast
CBD for relief
Morning stretch
Morning stretch
CBD for relief
Healthy breakfast
Calming meditation
Research suggests that mindfulness meditation may help people better cope with pain, reduce depression symptoms, and improve mental health. You can practice meditation at home, on your subway commute, or during a morning walk. VIM, an arthritis pain management app designed by the Arthritis Foundation, can help you set and track arthritis goals such as daily meditation.
Stacy Courtnay,
member of the Arthritis Foundation Patient
Leadership Council (diagnosed with RA 20 years
ago at 24 years old)
Calming meditation
"I want to become more mindful and have a little bit more meditation in my day. The app will offer you different tips and tricks, and then will send you reminders every day like ‘Courtnay, don't forget to meditate.’ Then at the end of each week, you track your progress."
—
A healthy diet is important for overall health, which can impact your arthritis. Start your morning with a nutritious breakfast, and continue the day with healthy meals.
In some studies, patients have reported that certain foods can either improve or increase arthritis symptoms. According to one small 2020 study involving 50 people with rheumatoid arthritis, an anti-inflammatory diet may help improve arthritis symptoms.
Healthy breakfast
You can use a pillow to slowly ease into some light morning stretching. Since joints may be extra stiff in the morning, you may want to wait until pain relievers have kicked in.
Morning stretch
Shelly Karpman,
certified Arthritis Foundation fitness instructor
—
“The exercises the Arthritis Foundation developed use the whole body to move in a comfortable range of motion to improve performance of daily activities like opening the door, opening a jar, or buttoning your blouse.”
Exercising in warm water is a gentle way to help keep joints from becoming tight while improving strength, flexibility,
and motion.
Water workout
The CDC shares that maintaining a healthy weight can help limit arthritis progression while also helping to reduce pain.
Exercise can help you sustain a healthy weight and reduce arthritis related symptoms. Take a walk in your neighborhood, shopping center, park, or on a trail.
Tip:
Take a walk
Steven Taylor,
President and CEO of the Arthritis Foundation
—
“We have our Your Exercise Solution (YES) video series which is about 60 videos to help people learn how to stretch, build their core strength, strengthen their upper body, or lower BMI. Some of the videos are 30 seconds or around a minute long format.”
According to research, yoga may be a promising way to help decrease pain and inflammation associated with RA while also improving psychological wellbeing. You can perform these moves at home or at the office to reduce stiffening during long sedentary periods. John Hopkins Arthritis Center gives the forward fold and side angle pose as two examples. A certified yoga instructor may be able to assist you in finding poses that are right for you.
Additionally, the Arthritis Foundation has developed a free video series in collaboration with physical therapists to demonstrate exercise methods that work for arthritis.
Yoga
Stacy Courtnay,
member of the Arthritis Foundation Patient Leadership Council (diagnosed with RA 20 years ago at 24 years old)
—
“For me when it comes to the emotional side of dealing with arthritis, the Arthritis Foundation was my support system. They have Connect Groups you can get involved with which I’m still involved with today. Getting in contact with people that have similar challenges provides a sense of community.”
Social interactions can have an uplifting effect on your mood.
A 2020 study on people with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee found that social activity was associated with a decrease in the relationship between pain and depression.
Talk to a friend, therapist, or support group
Research suggests that heat application may help with pain management. A heating pad or warm compress can be applied to areas of discomfort for relief.
Soothe Pain with a
Heating Pad or Warm Compress
If you’re feeling stiff, self-massage or a session with a trained massage therapist may help reduce pain and improve function. A small 2013 study found that adults with rheumatoid arthritis who received moderate massage once a week for 4 weeks and self-massage done daily said they felt less pain in their wrists, shoulders, and elbows.
Massage
Stacy Courtnay,
member of the Arthritis Foundation Patient Leadership Council (diagnosed with RA 20 years ago at 24 years old)
—
“I would just read at night a lot to try to calm my mind.. . I would say reading, calming my mind, using all my topical ointments, and then, not that it helps with my pain, but I always have to sleep with white noise. It’s just soothing to me and I think that helps a little bit.”
Research links chronic pain to sleep disruption and depression. Creating a relaxing evening routine can help with emotional wellbeing and preparing for rest.
Create a calming environment
Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive ingredient that comes from the cannabis sativa plant, is increasingly used in products designed to alleviate pain. Research suggests that CBD might help decrease chronic inflammation in those with rheumatoid arthritis.
CBD for relief
Morning stretch
CBD for relief
Healthy breakfast
Calming meditation
Yoga
Yoga
Take a walk
Take a walk
Water workout
Water workout
Yoga
Take a walk
Water workout
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shares that physical activity is important for improving quality of life while managing symptoms. Here are some ways to get moving during your day, along with tips to help manage pain when you’re stuck at your desk.
Daytime
Create a calming environment
Massage
Soothe pain with a heating pad or warm compress
Talk to a friend, therapist,
or support group
Create a calming
environment
As you wind down for bed, these tips will help you end your day with reduced pain and in a positive mental space.
Evening
Talk to a friend, therapist,
or support group
Soothe pain with a heating pad or warm compress
Massage
Create a calming environment
Talk to a friend, therapist,
or support group
Soothe pain with a heating pad or warm compress
Massage
