Why Self-Care Is So Important for People With RA

Medically Reviewed By William C. Lloyd III, MD, FACS
african american senior woman stretching on beach
Getty

Medication may be the first line of therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA)—but it's not the last. Your everyday decisions can make a big impact on your overall health, your joint health, and how well you feel. In fact, research shows that people with RA who take an active role in their healthcare feel less pain. Here are some specific ways self-care—actions you take to care for your health—can improve your life.

Solid Sleep Prevents Pain

A majority of people with RA have sleep problems. And research shows that trouble sleeping is linked to increased pain in people who have RA. One study found that only one night of less-than-great sleep can increase the number of painful joints and can make joint pain more severe the next morning. This is because sleep loss may promote inflammation, which damages joints.

If you have sleep problems, stress reduction and relaxation techniques can help. In a method called progressive relaxation, for example, you systematically tense and then release the muscles of the body one by one.  

If you feel like you have trouble sleeping most nights of the week, talk with your doctor. He or she may suggest sleep medication, which has been shown to relieve insomnia in people with RA.

Physical Activity Delivers Many Benefits

If joint pain is keeping you from working out, consider this: Research shows that people with RA who are physically active are happier and live longer than their couch-bound counterparts. They also visit the hospital less frequently and have shorter stays when they are admitted. Physical activity also decreases arthritis pain and helps support your joints.

Experts recommend four different types of activity for people with RA:

  • Aerobic exercise, which can help you lose weight, relieving  pressure on your joints, and which helps prevent cardiovascular disease, a major cause of early death in people with RA

  • Balance training, to prevent falls

  • Strength training, to build muscle that protects joints

  • Stretching, to keep your joints flexible

The right exercise plan for you depends on your goals, your RA symptoms, and your joint health. Talk with a physical therapist or your doctor about the right exercise plan for you.

Lifestyle Changes Protect Your Heart

Your joints aren't the only part of your body affected by RA. RA patients are two to three times more likely to have a heart attack compared with people without arthritis.

Fortunately, there are many steps you can take to lower your risk for heart problems, including:

Even taking just one of the steps above can make a significant impact on your health. For example, regular aerobic activity can reduce the risk of dying from heart attack or stroke by 20 to 30%.

Talk with your doctor to learn what other self-care steps he or she recommends.

Key Takeaways

  • Research shows that people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who take an active role in their healthcare feel less pain.

  • Getting enough sleep and exercise can help ease symptoms and improve your quality of life.

  • RA patients are more likely to have a heart attack compared with people without arthritis, but lifestyle changes can lower the risk.

Was this helpful?
111
  1. Boyer J, Gourraud P, Cantagrel A, et al. Traditional cardiovascular risk factors in rheumatoid arthritis: a meta-analysis. Joint Bone Spine. 2011;78:179-83.
  2. Cooney JK, Law R, Matschke V, et al. Benefits of exercise in rheumatoid arthritis. Journal of Aging Research. 2011:1-14.
  3. How much sleep do we really need? National Sleep Foundation (http://sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need)
  4. Metsios G, et al. Disease activity and low physical activity associate with number of hospital admissions and length of hospitalisation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Research & Therapy. 2011;13(R108). (http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/ar3390.pdf)
  5. Luyster FS, Chasens ER, Dunbar-Jacob J, et al. Sleep quality and functional disability in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2011;7(1):49-55. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3041613/)
  6. Irwin MR, Olmstead R, Carrillo C, et al. Sleep loss exacerbates fatigue, depression, and pain in rheumatoid arthritis. SLEEP. 2012;35(4):537-43. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3296796/)
  7. What is coronary heart disease? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/cad/)
  8. How can heart disease be prevented? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hdw/prevention.html#)
  9. Questions and answers about arthritis and rheumatic diseases, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health (http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Arthritis/arthritis_rheumatic_qa.asp#h
  10. Osteoarthritis: symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/magazine/issues/winter13/articles/winter13pg12.html)
  11. Heenan A and Troje NF. Both physical exercise and progressive muscle relaxation reduce the facing-the-viewer bias in biological motion perception. PLOS One. 2014;9(7):e99902. (http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0099902)
  12. Exercise and arthritis, American College of Rheumatology (http://www.rheumatology.org/Practice/Clinical/Patients/Diseases_And_Conditions/Exercise_and_Arthriti...)
  13. Rheumatoid arthritis, American College of Rheumatology (http://www.rheumatology.org/practice/clinical/patients/diseases_and_conditions/rheumatoid_arthritis)
Medical Reviewer: William C. Lloyd III, MD, FACS
Last Review Date: 2022 Oct 30
View All Rheumatoid Arthritis Articles
THIS TOOL DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. It is intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never ignore professional medical advice in seeking treatment because of something you have read on the site. If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your doctor or dial 911.