Managing the stress that comes with psoriasis is so important — especially since stress and psoriasis have a bit of a tricky relationship. Stress can trigger flare-ups, and flare-ups can cause more stress. Breaking that cycle is key!
Here are some practical techniques that may help:
- Exercise — Even just 30 minutes of Show Full Answer
Managing the stress that comes with psoriasis is so important — especially since stress and psoriasis have a bit of a tricky relationship. Stress can trigger flare-ups, and flare-ups can cause more stress. Breaking that cycle is key!
Here are some practical techniques that may help:
- Exercise — Even just 30 minutes of walking a day can boost your mood. Swimming is a gentle option many find helpful (just test the chlorine first to make sure it doesn't irritate your skin).
- Relaxation practices — Meditation, mindfulness, yoga, and tai chi can calm both body and mind.
- Get quality sleep — Poor sleep can worsen stress, so building good sleep habits matters.
- Set boundaries — Learning to say no to tasks or requests helps protect your limited energy. As a MyPsoriasisTeam member shared, "Making the transition to caring about my needs has been difficult! But it's a journey I know I must take."
- Keep a journal — Tracking stress triggers can help identify patterns and manage flare-ups better.
- Use a humidifier — Keeping skin from drying out can reduce irritation that adds to stress. If stress starts to feel overwhelming, reaching out to a counselor or therapist is a completely valid step. As one MyPsoriasisTeam member put it, "I tried to manage it myself and found it was OK to need some help with my mental well-being."
A dermatologist or healthcare provider can also offer personalized stress-management strategies tailored to living with psoriasis.
June 4
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