Mental health and pain

Living with arthritis means managing not only physical pain, but also the emotional toll that comes with it. Your mental wellbeing has a powerful impact on how you experience pain. Supporting your mind can help you manage your body.

Pain, fatigue, and stress from arthritis can lead to depression and anxiety, and these conditions can lower your pain threshold, meaning your pain feels worse. Poor sleep, stress, and low mood can all increase pain and make it harder to manage day-to-day life. The cycle can feel relentless, but you can break it by looking after your mental health.

Taha hinengaro (mental wellbeing) is one of the four pillars of hauora. When you nurture your taha hinengaro, you're also supporting your physical health and your ability to cope with challenges like arthritis pain.

Strategies like mindfulness, regular routines, and good sleep hygiene can help reduce stress, improve sleep, and soften your response to pain.

Mindfulness helps you stay present, reduce stress, and respond to pain with more calm and awareness. It’s not about ignoring the pain, it’s about softening your reaction to it.

Benefits of mindfulness include:

• Less stress and worry about pain or the future
• Feeling more in control of your reactions
• Improved sleep, mood, and pain management

Try this:

• Mindful breathing: focus on your breath for a few minutes each day
• Body scan: notice each part of your body without judgment
• Mindful movement: stay present while walking or stretching
• Daily mindful pauses: take moments to check in with yourself

Gentle physical activity like walking, swimming, or stretching helps with joint health and lifts your mood. Movement can reduce stress and ease pain.

Sleep is when your body heals, and good sleep can lower pain levels. Mental health support, like relaxation techniques and sleep routines, can improve sleep quality.

Sleep tips:

• Keep a regular bedtime and wake time
• Avoid screens and stimulants before bed
• Use mindfulness or breathing to settle your mind
• Create a calming night routine

Bottling things up can increase stress and pain. Talking to a friend, counsellor, or support service like Arthritis Assist can lighten the load. Therapies like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) help change unhelpful thoughts that make pain feel worse.

Feeling understood makes pain easier to manage. Join a support group or connect online with others who get what you're going through.

Even when you’re having a tough day, a gentle daily rhythm - meals, rest, light movement, connection - can give structure and reduce overwhelm. Set small goals and celebrate each one.