Here's why exercise is helpful for managing lupus: Exercise can strengthen parts of your body that may be affected by lupus — the heart, lungs, bones and joints. Exercise helps reduce inflammation by regulating some of the chemicals involved in the inflammation process.
For people with lupus, even the thought of exercising can be painful. You're tired, achy, and just want to rest. That's a lot to overcome. But research shows that exercise can help those with lupus build stronger muscles, prevent joint stiffness, control fatigue, and avoid weight gain.
In general, exercise, under the guidance of a physical therapist, and following a discussion with your doctor, is not only safe, but can be of benefit to those that are diagnosed with lupus. Studies show that exercise training can lessen inflammation in women with systemic lupus erythematosus.
If you have a flare of your lupus symptoms, you may need to reduce or stop your exercise activity to prevent damage to inflamed joints and muscles and to avoid fatigue. Although exercise can help to reduce feelings of fatigue, too much exercise could trigger a lupus flare-up.
Take part in intense physical activities such as jogging, weight lifting, or high-impact aerobics only with your doctor's permission. In general, people with lupus get the most and longest-lasting benefits from low-impact exercises such as swimming, walking, yoga, or stretching.
If you are experiencing swollen joints or muscle pain, you should avoid or at least limit activities that may be demanding on joints and muscles, such as jogging, weightlifting, or high-impact aerobics.
Fit physical activity into your routine
If you don't have time for long workouts, just do what you can! Start with just 5 minutes a day and build up to more over time. Remember that some activity is always better than nothing.
Is a warmer or colder climate better for lupus? The answer may depend on what systems your lupus affects. Research suggests temperature increases are tied to joint pain, rashes, and inflammation of the membrane around the heart, lungs, abdomen, and other organs (called serositis).
Healthy eating can make a big difference in your lupus symptoms and your overall health. It can also help prevent or manage other health conditions you may have, like high blood pressure or diabetes. There's no special “lupus diet” you need to follow — just work on building a balanced diet with healthy foods you enjoy.
Emotional stress -- such as a divorce, death in the family, or other life complications -- and anything that causes physical stress to the body -- such as surgery, physical harm, pregnancy, or giving birth -- are examples of triggers that can set off lupus or bring about a lupus flare.
Flares are an unfortunate part of living with lupus, but lifestyle changes can reduce your risk of flares. Eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, avoiding stress, and staying out of the sun will help.
Many lupus patients experience joint stiffness, especially in the morning. People often find that taking warm showers helps to relieve this problem. If this habit does not offer comfort and joint stiffness prevents you from daily activity, be sure to speak with your doctor.
Sleep. Commit to at least seven hours of sleep a night and take a short nap in the middle of the day, when possible, to reduce flare-ups and pain sensitivity. Be careful not to spend too long in bed, though, as it can disrupt the circadian rhythm and make falling asleep in the evening difficult. Essential Oils.
It is vital that people living with SLE practice these habits along with getting 7-9 hours of sleep (a little more for children) in order to prevent lupus flares, limit fatigue, and keep the body's mechanisms healthy, especially the immune system.
Sleep can make a big difference in how you feel — and healthy sleep habits are especially important for people with lupus. Getting enough sleep can help you prevent lupus flares, manage fatigue, and keep your body's immune system healthy.
Lupus is different for every person. Some people's lupus symptoms don't ever fully go away, or they often have flares. Others will have flares every few years (or even less often) and their lupus will be inactive the rest of the time.
In some people, lupus will flare, become inactive (quiescent), and go into remission—this course of the disease may or may not occur regularly throughout their life. In other people, lupus will remain in a chronic (long-lasting) state of activity. Some people will have fairly frequent flares of illness.
Talk to your doctor if you have lupus symptoms. Lupus is a chronic disease with no cure. This means that you can manage it with treatment, but it will not go away. Treatment can help improve your symptoms, prevent flares, and prevent other health problems often caused by lupus.
During a flare, some of the symptoms you already had get worse or brand-new symptoms appear. It could be a light rash that spreads or gets darker or mouth sores that suddenly show up. If you experience increased lupus symptoms, known as a flare, it may mean your disease is active.
Lupus nephritis tends to develop within 5 years of the appearance of initial lupus symptoms. The condition affects about 40% of people who have SLE and can lead to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) in 22% of patients over a period of 15 years.