Experts share their top tips for quality rest with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Don’t just toss and turn—there are ways to break the pain-stress-fatigue cycle.
It’s a bit of an understatement to say that falling asleep is a challenge when you have psoriatic arthritis . Not only can PsA symptoms—like achy joints, a stiff back, or swollen fingers and toes—keep you up, but itchy rashes can do the same, since up to 90% of people with PsA also have the skin condition psoriasis.1 There’s a psychological component here too. Your pain flares up. You feel stressed, so your body releases cortisol, a hormone that keeps you alert and awake.
Your physician might also consider other sleep disorders, like insomnia and restless leg syndrome—two conditions that are more likely in people with PsA.7 Those are also treatable, so it’s important to get checked out. 4. Retrain your brain to cope with the pain. When PsA pain flares, it can be hard to focus on quite literally anything but the aching.