Personal Wellness
4 Soothing Self-Care Tips To Ease Inflammatory Arthritis Pain Before Bed
I need to get some sleep soon, but my arthritis is killing me.
It’s 9:03 pm, and my inflammatory arthritis is starting to become intolerable. Whenever the humidity is highest, it starts to hurt the most. So it’s no coincidence that early mornings and late evenings are the worst because that’s when the moisture content is the most prevalent.
You’d think the crisp fall weather would help. Compared to the scorching, arm-pit-staining summers that we have here in the Midwest, it usually does. But we just had another warm front followed by our first snowfall — and seasonal changes in and of themselves can cause triggers too.
Pain Warriors, Assemble
If you have generalized inflammatory arthritis like me or a more specific sub-categorical diagnosis like rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis, then you’re in good company. In commiseration, I present to you four, soothing self-care tips I’ve ritualized into my nightly routine to find some relief before bedtime that maybe can help you too.
1. Take a Warm Shower
Long before I crawl under the cozy covers of my bed, and attempt to snooze the stiffness away, I step into the shower. There’s something sacred and vulnerable about standing in a stream of steam that helps soothe the pain away. It’s almost baptizing. Endure the heat as long as you can as it really does help.
2. Experiment With Different Moisturizers
Right after my makeshift shower sauna, I quickly lather lotion onto my clean, damp skin as if Buffalo Bill from The Silence of the Lambs is going to give me the hose again. But really, it’s the best time to apply lotion right after washing to lock in moisture. I like lotions with aromatherapy and pain-relieving benefits; it makes my brain happy and my joints less mad.
3. Alternate Your Ice Packs
I have so many ice packs at this point that I feel like they’re accumulating like pairs of shoes — I have one for each occasion. It’s helpful though, because when one pack gets warm, I can put it back in the freezer to switch right out for a cold one. The ones that have a Velcro strap so it can stay in place are my favorite. That way, if you find yourself tossing and turning later, it’s buckled in for the ride.
4. Get Out the Compression Gear
Applying more than one item at a time can make me feel a bit like an incapacitated mummy, but appearance is a small sacrifice to make yourself feel better. My arthritis attacks my fingers, hands, wrists, ankles, and toes the most. But as my condition progresses, it’s been creeping into other areas, such as my knees, elbows, neck, and shoulders. So the more gear options you have, the better — even fitness compression clothing can help.
Every ‘Body’ Is in a Different Stage of Their Journey
When my inflammatory arthritis starts to run over me like a freight train, I follow these simple self-care steps to try to make it feel like more of a Ford Fiesta. Taking a warm shower, lathering up with therapeutic lotions, and using both cold and compressive gear before bed can really help minimize pain and inflammation.
These suggestions may not sound groundbreaking to pain warriors who have been plagued by inflammatory conditions for a while now. But, even long-term sufferers can struggle — or even forget — to prioritize themselves when they’re trying to take care of other people and responsibilities too.
As for newer pain warriors, these are self-care tips I wish I had known long ago to help take the edge off, even if it’s not a cure-all. Every little bit helps. So if you’re struggling with an inflammatory arthritic condition, it’s my hope that sharing my nightly routine with you can give you some ideas or motivation to incorporate into yours to give you comfort too.
Because in the end, we all need to get some sleep, but our arthritis is killing us.