Community Views: The Painful Mornings

Many of us wake up in the morning and simply want to crawl back under the covers. That feeling may be especially tempting for people with psoriatic arthritis.

Waking up with PsA pain

Mornings are often the toughest time of day for people living with psoriatic arthritis. Many wake up with stiffness and swelling, making it feel like a challenge to leave the comfort of the bed.

To find out more about what motivates folks to get moving first thing, we reached out on the Psoriatic-Arthritis.com Facebook page with this: “Mornings can be the hardest. What gets you out of bed in the morning?”

More than 100 people in the community answered. Here is what was shared.

Pain wakes me up

It is a tough reality, but the thing that causes many people in the psoriatic arthritis community to wake up is pain. Luckily, a few shared that they were able to find the right medication, and pain is no longer what wakes them up in the morning.

“Usually my bladder or pain somewhere, and I cannot get back to sleep. I then go pee and turn on the heated towel rack after my shower. Little things make mornings a little easier to manage.”

“It used to be the immense pain in my back and hips that got me out of bed, then Humira entered my life.”

My children

Children wake up ready to go, and they often expect their parents or caregivers to do the same. Although some kids can sleep in, most start making noise and asking for breakfast at very early hours.

“My 6 kids, ages 13 and under.”

“Getting my kindergartner off to school and then hanging with my 4-year-old.”

My pets

Dogs seem to know exactly when it is time in the morning to go outside. Some people’s dogs are patient. Other dogs are less so. In either case, dogs are a loving, comforting presence to wake up to that can help the day get off to a good start.

“My dogs, especially now as my new elderly foster dog will have accidents if I do not get him outside.”

“My dogs! They wait very patiently while it seems to take forever just to put on socks!”

Only get up to keep a good sleep pattern

For some folks, the biggest incentive to get up is to keep a regular sleep pattern. Sleeping in too late can make it hard to fall asleep later on. The thought of missing out on precious sleep can be stressful, and stress certainly does not help psoriatic arthritis.

“If I do not get up, I will not be able to fall asleep at night. Everything will be even more stiff and sore.”

Morning routine

A good morning routine can help make folks with psoriatic arthritis feel ready to get out of bed. Morning routines can include anything that helps you feel better, whether that is reading, meditating, walking, or light yoga. For some, their bodies feel best at the beginning of the day, making it a perfect time to get in some chores or light exercise.

“Looking forward to my coffee and the newspaper and starting my day.”

“I love the quiet of the early hours. It gives me time to get up and get going without having to feel rushed. I get up, get moving, clean the house, water the plants, freshen up, sit and eat my muesli while I listen to music and journal, then I get on with the rest of my day.”

Thank you!

A little stiffness and discomfort due to psoriatic arthritis may come with the territory, but it shouldn’t interfere with your daily life. We want to say thank you to everyone who shared for this story. We appreciate seeing so many contributions!