It feels as if somebody's pulled your plug. As if you're enfolded in a lead lined comforter, weighing you down with every step. A 2011 study published in the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases stated that 70 percent of people with RA experience a healthy dollop of fatigue, sometimes a level of exhaustion as profound as in chronic fatigue syndrome. It can make it impossible to do your job, take care of your family, or just get through the day. Even when you're responding to treatment, sometimes that makes you tired, too. Today, I'll be looking at tips for building and managing your energy.One of the best ways to combat RA-related fatigue is to treat the disease. Often one of the first signs that the medication's working is that you start getting more energy. Even if you're not able to fully go into remission, finding a medication that reduces your RA symptoms will help reduce your fatigue. Ironically, certain medications, such as prednisone, can cause insomnia and if that's you, talk to your doctor about options to help you get some sleep.
Pain makes you tired and uncontrolled pain can make you exhausted. Having good pain management is an important part of improving the quality of your life, as well as increasing your energy levels. Many of us feel hesitant about taking pain meds, waiting until we can't stand it anymore. That only results in always being behind the game in terms of the pain. Taking your pain meds as prescribed on a regular basis, will ensure that you always have a certain level of medication in your system and therefore less pain. 3. Give your body the rest it needs. Getting enough sleep is essential for people who live with RA. Go to bed when you're tired. If you stay up past midnight despite having to get up at 6:30 AM, it's bound to contribute to your fatigue. Some people manage by going to bed earlier every night, others go to bed right after dinner once a week. Nap when you can, whether it's a full-on crawling under the covers or a snooze in a comfy chair. If you have trouble falling or staying asleep, you may want to talk to your doctor about sleep aids.
4. Proper sleep environment. The quest for energy starts with restful sleep. Make sure your bed and your bedroom are conducive to sleep. This can include darkness, quiet and the right temperature — not too hot, not too cold. Make sure you have good sleep posture by having a supportive mattress (Tempur-Pedic is getting good word of mouth). You can also use pillows to support joints and limbs that hurt. 5. Get a checkup. Ask your doctor to check your iron, vitamin D and B12 levels. Being deficient in these can contribute to fatigue. Vitamin D can also help improve your pain levels and many people find that adding more vitamin D to their daily routine can make them feel better in general. While you're seeing your doctor, also ask them to check your thyroid — fatigue is one of the symptoms of hypothyroidism. 6. Look into other energy boosting supplements. In addition to iron, vitamin D and B12, there are a number of supplements that can help boost your energy. Discuss this with your doctor or a licensed doctor of naturopathic medicine before diving into a supplement buying spree.
Make sure none of them interact with medication you're already taking.FOR years we have been told to cover up in the sun to cut the risk of getting skin cancer. But now it seems that a little bit of sunshine on your body is actually good for you. Studies have shown that a sensible amount of sun reduces your risk of several cancers and other serious health conditions. And it's all thanks to vitamin D, which is made by our bodies through the action of the sun's UVB rays on our skin. Professor Michael Holick, of Boston University School of Medicine and author of The UV Advantage (I-Books, #6.99), says: "We get about 90 to 95 per cent of our vitamin D from the sun. "It is essential for absorbing calcium, keeping our bones healthy, and for protecting against serious chronic diseases later in life such as osteoporosis, Type II diabetes, multiple sclerosis and many common cancers." He advises that we should go out in the sun without sunblock for between five and 15 minutes a day, at least three times a week in spring and summer, to boost our vitamin D levels.
You can also get vitamin D from your diet - oily fish, such as salmon and tuna, is a good source - as is margarine, milk, eggs and fortified breakfast cereals. But most of us simply don't eat healthily enough to get adequate amounts, leaving the sun as the primary source of this important vitamin. Here are the top 15 ways in which the sun can improve your health... SUNSHINE boosts levels of serotonin - the body's natural happy hormone. That's why we tend to feel happier and more energetic when the sun shines. Regular sun can stave off moderate depression, particularly if combined with exercise, such as a walk in the park. It's also been shown that exercising outdoors creates more endorphins in the body than exercising indoors. A STUDY in the British Medical Journal showed that people in the UK are more likely to die of heart disease in winter than in summer, which is believed to be because of low levels of vitamin D. Where you live in the UK also matters. Blackpool has 27 per cent more hours of sunshine a year than Burnley - and 9 per cent fewer deaths from coronary heart disease.
Cholesterol levels also rise in winter, according to reports in medical magazine The Lancet, and this is because our vitamin D levels fall. And Dr Holick found that exposing people with high blood pressure to UVB rays in a tanning salon lowers blood pressure by similar amounts as prescribed drugs. VITAMIN D may help to prevent the onset of diabetes. "A study in Finland found children given a vitamin D supplement for several years had an 80 per cent reduced risk of developing Type I diabetes as young adults," says Dr Holick. A deficiency in vitamin D is also thought to contribute to Type II diabetes, according to a recent study by Dr Barbara Boucher at St Bartholomew's and the Royal London Hospitals. SEASONAL Affective Disorder (SAD) - or the winter blues - is a depression specifically caused by lack of sunlight. Lightboxes can be used to treat it, although increased exposure to natural sunlight is more beneficial. Get out for an hour's walk in the morning during autumn and winter months, and sit outside for 15 minutes a day in summer.
MULTIPLE sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system, leading to tremors and even paralysis. The cause is not known but scientists have noted that exposure to sunlight in childhood appears to dramatically reduce the risk of developing this disease in later life. Scientists have also noted that the incidence of MS is lower in sunnier countries. THE sun could even help to keep your teeth strong. A dental study found the prevalence of cavities was greater in children from Scotland, the North-West, Wales and Merseyside - areas with less than average sunshine. The proportion of 12-year-olds with untreated cavities was three times greater in Scotland than in the South West Thames region. Being out in the sun helps to warm the body's muscles and eases stiffness, reducing the pain caused by inflammatory conditions such as arthritis. ALTHOUGH over exposure to the sun increases your risk of skin cancer, vitamin D provided by sunlight can actually help to significantly reduce your risk of other types of cancer.
A study carried out by the US National Cancer Institute found that people exposed to high levels of sunlight were significantly less likely to die from breast and colon cancer. A similar effect was seen in bladder, womb, oesophagus and stomach cancer. THE sun reduces levels of the hormone melatonin which suppresses fertility, so it is more likely you'll conceive in summer. And sunlight not only makes you more fertile, it increases the length of your fertility. A study in Turkey discovered that women who get less than an hour of sunlight a week reach menopause seven to nine years earlier. Sunlight also boosts testosterone levels in men, which makes summer the perfect time for baby-making. MELATONIN also regulates sleep, so having lower levels of this hormone in your body gives you more get up and go. This is why you need less sleep in summer but still feel livelier. Plus, being woken by natural light rather than an alarm clock helps you feel more positive. PEOPLE with Crohn's disease or other inflammatory bowel disorders (IBD) generally have low levels of vitamin D in their bodies, according to several studies.
Sunlight is the best way to boost vitamin D in these cases. Although it is available in some foods (including meat, eggs, oily fish and some breakfast cereals), levels are low and poor absorption of fat - a common complication of inflammatory bowel disease - may make it difficult for sufferers to absorb vitamin D from their diet. ABOUT one in five women of childbearing age suffer from polycystic ovary disease which causes abnormal periods, unwanted body hair and infertility. Half of 14 women treated with vitamin D and calcium by Dr Susan Thys-Jacobs at St Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital, Columbia University in New York, recovered normal periods and two became pregnant. Dr Thys-Jacobs also found that women with premenstrual syndrome are likely to be deficient in vitamin D. EXPOSURE to the sun can help to heal such skin conditions as psoriasis, acne and eczema. Regular controlled sun exposure is often prescribed for sufferers. For serious cases, contact your GP. For minor cases, try exposing affected areas of skin to the sun for up to 30 minutes before covering up or slapping on the sunscreen - but make sure you never burn.
SUNLIGHT encourages the production of white blood cells, which help to boost your immune system and fight infection. HIGHER levels of serotonin in our bodies not only makes you feel happy but it also suppresses the appetite, so you'll eat less in warmer weather. Go out in the sun at least three times a week to boost levels of vitamin D. YOUR skin starts to turn pink when you've been exposed to enough sun. It takes around half this time to produce vitamin D without risking your skin (usually between 10-15 minutes between 10am-3pm in the UK). It takes black and Asian skin up to six times longer to produce vitamin D. NEVER overdo the sun - burning and excessive exposure will increase your risk of skin cancer. Cover up or apply sunscreen (minimum SPF15) after your initial vitamin D-boosting burst. How to boost your health How to get rid of spots How to tackle joint pain Is sex good for you? Healthy guide to takeaway food The best ideas to help you sleep Reasons why the sun is good for you