Welcome to Arthritis Tips

Sit Outside

If it is pretty outside, go out and find somewhere to sit. Just concentrate on everything around you, like the sky, animals, the wind blowing through the trees or something else. This is a great way to relax.

Reading

Most people have a book or magazine that they enjoy reading. If you need to get your mind off something, try reading. Find a nice, quiet, comfortable place to sit or lie and read a book or magazine. It is a great way to relax.

Exercise

If you are stressed, exercising on a daily basis can be a great way to help fight the stress. Exercising can help you focus your attention on something besides your problems.

Positive Attitude

Try keeping a positive attitude. In order to do that, though, you have to surround yourself with positive people. If there is someone who just makes you feel worse about yourself, try to keep distance from them. If you are around people with positive attitudes and if they don´t bring you down, it will help your self-esteem.

Diet

Your diet can have a lot to do with how you are feeling. Eating a balanced diet will help you feel better mentally and physically.

Exercise

If you are looking for something to help you sleep, exercise in the late evening. Believe it or not, exercise can help you relax and, by bedtime, you should be tired enough to fall right to sleep. Only do this, though, if your body is feeling up to it.

Visualization

There are two types of visualization which will both help you be able to relax more easily. The first type is where you concentrate on pleasant scenes. They can be scenes from your past or you can just make them up. Try to remember every little detail about a past vacation and it will possibly let you relive it or just create your own. The second type is where you try to imagine your pain. An example is you might imagine that your swollen knee is bright red and, after you create this, you try to change it. Watch the red slowly disappear until the pain is gone. This will help your stress and pain disappear.

Keeping A Journal

Try writing your thoughts and feelings in a journal. Getting stuff off your mind is a wonderful thing to do. It will help you sleep and relax a lot easier. Also if you find something that really helps your stress or if you find something that makes it worse jot it down in your journal. Keeping records of how you´re feeling will help you pinpoint the exact causes of your stress and fatigue.

Drugs

When your are stressed, do not rely on drugs and alcohol. Some people think that it´s the only way, but think about all the people it will hurt. Try to focus on the good things and you will get through it.

Puzzle Books

Working a crossword puzzle or other kind of puzzle is a great way to relax. You can usually find puzzle books at your local bookstore or variety store like Wal-Mart.

Herbal Tea

Try drinking a warm cup of herbal tea for relief of stress and fatigue. It is soothing and a great way to relax. Or, if you don´t like herbal tea, try a warm glass of milk.

Rest

When you have any disease, rest is very important. You need to make sure you get the proper hours of sleep and make sure you rest between activities. If you don´t get the proper amount of rest, it can cause your disease to flare.

Baths

For relief of stress and fatigue, taking a warm bath can help you relax. Try taking one before you go to bed. It will relax your body and help you fall to sleep more easily.

Do Something Creative

If you have a hobby like drawing, painting, building bird houses, or anything creative like that, it´s a great way to relax. It helps you concentrate your mind on something besides your pain.

Music

Listening to some soothing music can help your body and mind relax. Find somewhere comfortable to sit or lay down, then listen to some calm music or nature sounds. It might even help if you played the soothing music while you took a nice warm bubble bath.