Mental Wellbeing
- Get moving!
The thought of exercise may not be appealing right now, and you may be concerned that exercising could make your symptoms worse. However, exercise is one of the best things you can do to improve your symptoms as well as your mental wellbeing. If you are able, why not try adding a bit more movement to your day? Try to do some physical activity every day, be it a short walk or yoga class – every little helps.
- Get a good night's sleep
It can be hard to sleep with inflammatory arthritis. This may be due to pain or worrying about your condition. A lack of sleep can actually make your pain worse, leaving you feeling even worse. Try and stick to a calm routine, with a regular bedtime. Switch off your mobile phone, computer and TV. A comfortable temperature will help you drift off. If it’s not working, ask your GP for advice.
- Go outside
Taking a short walk and getting away from it all can help take your mind off some of your worries and do wonders to improve your mood.
- Mindfulness and positive thinking
To reduce stress and promote calmness, which may help you manage your pain, give this one a go! Some people find it useful to meditate and repeat a positive mantra every day. There's lots of online support to get you going or you can ask your GP or nurse for some tips.
- Keep connected
It's important to stay in contact with your friends, family and community. Some days, this can feel difficult when you’re in pain and perhaps you’re not feeling sociable. But feeling connected to other people can boost your emotional health and wellbeing.
- Lastly, speak up
One of the hardest things can be asking for help. But if you're having more down days than ok days, it's really important to speak to someone. There’s lots of help available so please talk to your GP or nurse.
More information and support can be found from dedicated patient organisations and other organisations that can provide advice. You can find contact details for these on the Inflammatory Arthritis Patient Organisations and Resources page.
The information provided on this website is not a substitute for professional medical care. If you have any concerns about your health or medicine, you should consult your healthcare specialist or general practitioner.
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in the patient information leaflet. You can also report side effects directly in the UK via the Yellow Card Scheme website: https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/ or via the the MHRA Yellow Card App in the Google Play or Apple App Store. In Ireland please report via the HPRA at https://www.hpra.ie/homepage/about-us/report-an-issue.
You can also report adverse events to UCB at UCBCares.UK@ucb.com or UCBCares.IE@ucb.com.
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