Having ankylosing spondylitis means taking time for therapy, medical appointments, and other responsibilities, which can leave little time for self-care. Your self-care plan should involve exercise, a balanced diet, and plenty of sleep.
Treatment for ankylosing spondylitis (AS) involves medications and therapies that help prevent the condition from getting worse over time and help preserve your flexibility and range of motion.
Between keeping up with your appointments, work, family, and other commitments, it’s easy to neglect taking care of yourself. But self-care is a crucial component of AS treatment.
Learn more about the best ways you can take care of yourself as you manage your AS symptoms and keep up with your care plan.
Regular exercise is key to any healthy lifestyle plan. Despite the pain and stiffness that AS can cause, it’s important that you get some exercise.
Frequent movement helps maintain flexibility and reduces stiffness and pain. Moving your body for even a few minutes at a time can help.
Your doctor, physical therapist, or occupational therapist may have specific exercise recommendations based on the severity of your symptoms.
If you’re looking for exercises to do at home, focus on low impact workouts such as walking and swimming. Aquatic exercise allows for an increased range of motion in your joints without the effect of weight bearing. And when performed in warm water, it can increase blood flow, which can help reduce inflammation.
You can also consider forms of exercise that improve flexibility, such as tai chi and yoga.
Additionally, regular workouts can be important if your doctor recommends that you lose weight to improve your condition.
Many experts recommend an anti-inflammatory diet or a Mediterranean diet for overall health. These diets not only decrease inflammation in your body but also reduce your risk of heart disease.
When it comes to AS, you may find that eating anti-inflammatory foods helps improve your symptoms in the long term.
An anti-inflammatory diet mainly consists of plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, as well as moderate amounts of grains and lentils. This type of diet emphasizes seafood over dairy and meat. A Mediterranean diet also includes a lot of heart-healthy olive oil.
If you’re thinking about changing your diet to help reduce your symptoms, it’s also a good idea to avoid inflammatory foods such as red meat, highly processed foods, fast food, foods high in sugar, and foods containing trans fat.
Sleep is another important aspect of your health. If you’re sleep-deprived, you might experience inflammation more often, and that can worsen your pain, stiffness, and fatigue. Plus, a lack of sleep can lead to less exercise, more stress, and difficulty maintaining a balanced diet.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends
AS can leave you feeling fatigued in the middle of the day, especially when you’re feeling stiff and in pain. While daytime naps may seem tempting, try to avoid them. Napping can throw off your sleep schedule at night.
Alcohol consumption is not advised in AS because it can
Smoking also presents challenges when you have AS. As your condition progresses, your ribs may become weaker, which can affect your breathing. If you smoke, your breathing difficulties may be even worse. Smoking also triggers inflammation.
If you smoke or drink alcohol, you can talk with your doctor about ways to stop. Doing so can help you improve your quality of life while decreasing the progression of AS.
Stress does not discriminate. When you have AS, stressors related to work, child care, school, and other commitments can make your symptoms worse.
Stress can increase inflammation, and prolonged stress and inflammation may lead to chronic health conditions later in life. Since inflammation is one of the precursors to AS, it’s even more important to reduce stress in your life when you have AS.
While you can’t skip all your commitments and responsibilities, you can find ways to reduce stress every day. Engaging in a stress-reducing activity for even a few minutes each day can help.
Here are some ways you may be able to help yourself de-stress:
- Meditate daily for 5 to 10 minutes at a time.
- Start a yoga practice.
- Go for a walk outside.
- Spend time in nature.
- Read a book.
- Take a warm bubble bath.
- Delegate chores and assignments to family and friends.
Keeping up with your AS treatment plan is one of the best forms of self-care.
Make sure you attend all your scheduled appointments, take your medications as directed, and follow up with your doctor as recommended. It’s also important to call your doctor if your symptoms get worse or don’t improve with treatment.
All of the above self-care tips are important, but also remember to keep up with your care plan to improve your quality of life.