How to Deal With Psoriatic Arthritis Morning Stiffness

If you have psoriatic arthritis, it’s common for your symptoms to be the worst when you wake up in the morning. Morning stiffness may be intense and make it challenging to get ready for the day.

Making a few changes to your morning routine may help you cope with pain and stiffness. It may even help you enjoy less severe symptoms as the day goes on.

What are ways to deal with morning stiffness from psoriatic arthritis?

1. Give yourself extra time

First, you may need more time to get ready in the morning simply due to stiffness. Each task may take a little longer. 

Second, you may want to set aside some time to stretch, shower, and maybe even go for a long walk. These may all be helpful in reducing morning stiffness from psoriatic arthritis.

2. Stretch to loosen up your joints

As soon as you wake up, try doing some gentle stretching. You can even start while you’re still in bed. Regular stretching has two major benefits: First, it may help reduce morning stiffness. Two, it may help preserve your range of motion over time.

3. Try some light exercise in the morning

Inactivity worsens joint pain and stiffness from psoriatic arthritis — which is why symptoms can be so severe when you first get out of bed. You can try to counter this with some gentle exercise. Yoga, swimming, and walking are all great low-impact exercises for psoriatic arthritis.

Make sure to consult your doctor before starting an exercise program.

4. Take a warm shower

Heat in general is often helpful for loosening up stiff joints from psoriatic arthritis. A warm (not hot) shower may help you feel better.

If you don’t want to start your day with a shower, you can also try using a warm compress or heating pad for about 20 minutes. If you are having stiffness in multiple joints, you can transition out of bed by lying under a heated blanket in the morning.

5. Prep your meals and clothing the night before

It may be hard to prepare breakfast in the morning if your hands or fingers are stiff and swollen. Consider a breakfast option that can be made ahead of time, such as:

• Overnight oatmeal

• Chia pudding

• Frittata or frittata muffins

• Whole-wheat blueberry muffins

It may also help to pick out your outfit the night before and set it out where it’s easily accessible. When your psoriatic arthritis is intense, it may be helpful to pick out clothing that doesn’t have lots of buttons. For example, a pullover sweater may be easier to put on than a button-down shirt and cardigan.

How will psoriatic arthritis treatment help?

It’s important to remember that sticking to your psoriatic arthritis treatment plan may help reduce morning stiffness. If symptoms are severe and causing major disability (in the morning or otherwise), this may be a sign that your current treatment is not the right fit.

Talk to your rheumatologist about the symptoms you’re having and how they’re impacting your daily life. Together, you can find the most effective treatment regimen to help you get a better start to each day.

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Written by:

Lauren Smith, MA

Lauren Smith, MA, has worked in health journalism since 2017. Before joining GoodRx, she was the senior health editor and writer for HealthiNation.

Reviewed by:

Alexandra Schwarz, MD

Alexandra Schwarz, MD, is a board-eligible sleep medicine physician and a board-certified family medicine physician. She is a member of both the AASM and the ABFM.

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