10 Tips for a Vigorous Workout for Women With Psoriasis

Exercise is an important part of healthy living for everyone, but it’s also important if you have psoriasis. People with psoriasis are more likely to have other health problems like diabetes or heart disease, and regular exercise can help lower your risk for these diseases. 

The key to getting benefits from your exercise is consistency. To keep yourself on track, schedule your workouts. If you struggle to find time, break your workout into three 10-minute blocks throughout your day. 

If you have psoriatic arthritis, you might find running or jumping is too hard on your joints. Swimming is a good low-impact exercise you can try instead. The water takes the pressure off your joints and can make exercise less painful. For a vigorous workout, try 30 minutes of water aerobics or laps. 

Ultraviolet light B, or UVB light, can slow down skin cell growth and help psoriasis. Sunlight naturally contains UVB light, and exercising in the sun might help with your psoriasis symptoms. Wear sunscreen to avoid sunburn. 

Regular cardiovascular exercise can help you keep a healthy weight, lower inflammation, and make your psoriasis treatments work better. Get your heart pumping with 30 minutes of cardio exercise 5 days a week. Try jogging, playing basketball, running up stairs, or cycling on hills.

Use weights or your body weight to strengthen your muscles. Building muscle supports your joints and helps your body process food better, which lowers your risk of experiencing diabetes and heart disease. Try a combination of push-ups, sit-ups, bicycle legs, squats, and lunges. 

Even minor skin injuries like bug bites, scrapes, cuts, scratches, or sunburn can cause a psoriasis flare-up. If you exercise outside in the summer, wear sunscreen and bug spray. Cold, dry weather is another common psoriasis trigger, too. Layer up for outdoor exercise in the cold and quickly remove any wet clothes when you’re done. 

Heat and sweat can irritate your skin and make your psoriasis symptoms worse. As soon as you’re done working out, jump in a lukewarm shower to cool down and cleanse your skin. Use a gentle, moisturizing cleanser instead of soap. Then, moisturize all over with thick, fragrance-free cream within 5 minutes of your shower.  

Since getting too hot can trigger a flare-up, some people find working out with psoriasis is challenging. Drinking water during exercise is one way to stay cool, as it cools your body down from the inside out. Drinking water also replaces fluids and electrolytes you lose when you sweat. Aim to drink 8 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise.

Psoriasis often causes pain and tiredness, and on some days, you might have an extra hard time working out. If you need a rest day, take it. Alternatively, try gentle, stretching exercises like yoga or tai chi. These exercises can help lower your stress and improve your mood and sleep. 

Exercise should help you feel better overall. If you have a lot of pain when you work out, or it’s hard to exercise, talk to your doctor. They might be able to make some changes to your psoriasis treatment that will help make exercise easier.