Managing Crohn’s disease, a type of inflammatory bowel disease, often requires a multipronged approach, including medications like corticosteroids to induce or maintain remission, and antibiotics to manage infections, along with dietary plans to minimize inflammatory triggers. With those strategies, several daily habits can be helpful, too.
“Part of effective Crohn’s management is having a sense of control, because the condition can feel unpredictable and sometimes overwhelming,” says Ashkan Farhadi, MD, a gastroenterologist at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. “Building in consistent, daily, beneficial habits can be a powerful way to feel like you’re taking charge of Crohn’s.”
While daily habits don’t replace conventional medical care, they can go a long way toward helping reduce symptom frequency and severity, he says. Here are five to consider adding to your regular routine.
1. Gentle Movement
Focusing on low-impact, moderate exercise is encouraged when you have Crohn’s. This includes activities like walking, bicycling, swimming, yoga, tai chi, and even stretching in the morning or before bed.
Daily, intentional movement can also help with mood and overall energy levels, which are both crucial in managing Crohn’s, says Dr. Farhadi. To get started, set aside a block of time each day that makes exercise easy to do — for example, take a walk as part of your lunch hour, or do a 20-minute gentle yoga video as part of your bedtime routine.
2. Deep Breathing
Alongside gentle movement, as with tai chi, or as a stand-alone practice, deep breathing from the belly can be effective at reducing stress, says Dr. Goff. That’s significant, because chronic stress, anxiety, and worry have been linked to an increased risk of flares for those with Crohn’s, and they may be connected to increased sensitivity in the nerves that run inside the bowel.
“Adopting a daily practice that includes just a few minutes of mindful, deep breathing can address stress in a meaningful way,” Goff says.
This can be done by using a meditation app such as Calm or Insight Timer, or simply clearing the same time each day for the effort. For instance, try designating between 7:30 a.m. and 7:40 a.m. for a deep-breathing practice. One simple tactic is to count inhales and exhales as you breathe from your diaphragm, such as inhaling for a count of four and exhaling for a count of six, and doing that for several minutes.
3. Journaling
Another way to reduce stress while also keeping track of Crohn’s symptoms and medication effects is daily journaling.
This can be a way to track symptoms and assess how medications are working, as well as record any food reactions, but it’s also helpful for sorting out your emotions and being honest about anything you find frustrating and limiting about Crohn’s. But you don’t have to focus only on your illness: Noting the things and people you’re grateful for can help you remember that there is fulfillment in your life, however small, even when things are hard.
You don’t need to set aside an hour per day for this effort, either. Farhadi says that simply writing down your feelings for 10 or 15 minutes can be enough to alleviate stress, particularly if done regularly.
4. Mindful Eating
Staying absolutely present and aware of every bite at every meal is a daunting — and likely impossible — task even if you’re committed to the practice, but taking a moment to be mindful of at least the first couple bites can be helpful for slowing down your eating pace and paying attention to how you feel during a meal, says Farhadi.
“Focusing on being more mindful at the start of each snack or meal in this way is a good habit for building awareness,” he says. “It’s also a way to actually enjoy what you’re eating. Sometimes with Crohn’s there’s such an emphasis on selecting the right foods that aren’t triggering, and eating small meals, and staying hydrated that it can be easy to forget that you should enjoy the taste of what you’re having.”
5. Getting Morning Sunlight for a Better Night’s Sleep
One daily habit that can help you get better sleep at night is to get a few minutes of sunlight in the morning. Research suggests that this habit can impact circadian rhythms and sleep regulation, improving sleep quality as a result. Getting better sleep can play a big role in pain reduction, energy levels, and inflammation.
Try standing outside or even just look out an open window for a few minutes in the morning, and consider incorporating some deep breathing as a way to ensure that you’ll fit in both habits.
Tactics like having a bedtime routine, going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, cutting out caffeine in the afternoon and evening, and limiting screen time right before bed can also help you get better sleep.
How to Build a Habit That Sticks
While all of these habits can be incorporated into a daily routine, it’s helpful to choose just one to start and begin to integrate it in a way that feels nourishing and supportive, rather than one more item for an already overloaded to-do list, says Farhadi.
“Daily habits stick the most when they’re easy to follow, make you feel better, and fit into what you’re already doing,” he says. Consider doing one habit for a week to see how it works, and don’t feel bad if you need to pivot to something else, he says. Over time, playing around with different options can help you find the habits that work for you.
The Takeaway
- Managing Crohn’s disease often requires a multipronged strategy that includes medication and medical management, but daily habits play a role, too.
- Establishing healthy daily habits — like moving your body, deep breathing, and eating mindfully — and doing them at the same time every day can help make them stick.
- Healthy daily habits that people with Crohn’s may want to focus on include reducing stress and lowering inflammation, which can have an effect on mood, energy, and symptoms.
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