Living with rheumatoid arthritis often means making changes to your lifestyle. You can do things at home, such as staying active and taking medications, to help relieve your symptoms and prevent the disease from getting worse.

People who have rheumatoid arthritis also have an increased risk of heart disease. But healthy lifestyle changes, such as exercise and a healthy diet, may reduce your risk of heart disease.¹¹ For more information, see the topics Healthy Eating and Fitness.

It is common to feel pain, fatigue, and joint stiffness with rheumatoid arthritis. Some activities may make your discomfort worse, while others might provide relief. Thousands of people with arthritis have benefited from developing and following plans to help them manage their symptoms. These plans often include education about the disease, exercise, diet changes, assistive devices, and other supports to help you stay as active as possible. For more information on managing your disease, see:

Taking an active role in the management of your rheumatoid arthritis.

You can also plan for those times when the disease symptoms may be more severe. It is important to work closely with your health professionals, who may include a physical therapist or counselor, to find ways to reduce pain.

People with rheumatoid arthritis have a high risk of developing osteoporosis because of the action of the disease itself, side effects from some treatments, and a decrease in physical activity as a result of disabling pain. It is recommended that people with rheumatoid arthritis take 1,000 mg to 1,500 mg of calcium and 800 IU of vitamin D daily. This calcium and vitamin D can come from dietary sources and supplements. If you do not consume significant amounts of milk and dairy products, you may need to take most of this requirement as supplements. Many health professionals also recommend that people with rheumatoid arthritis take bisphosphonates, such as alendronate (Fosamax) or risedronate (Actonel), which increase bone formation.⁴ For more information, see the topic Osteoporosis.

Rest when tired

Rheumatoid arthritis itself causes fatigue, and the strain of dealing with pain and limited activities also can make you tired. The amount of rest you need depends on how severe your symptoms are.

• With severe symptoms, you may need long periods of rest. You might need to rest a joint by lying down for 15 minutes several times a day to relax. Experiment until you find a good balance between daily activities that you must do or want to do and the amount of rest you need in be able to do those activities.
• Plan your day carefully, including rest periods, and pace your activities so that you don't get overtired.
• Don't feel guilty if you have to give up some tasks, such as making the bed or housework. Do the things you must do or really want to do, and find other ways to get less important things done.
• Don't rest too much. Prolonged joint inactivity can lead to more stiffness and, eventually, to weakness of underused muscles. Gently moving each joint through a comfortable range of motion each day will help prevent stiffness.