1. Hone Your Hobbies
“Specifically, I think that creative activities like painting, journaling, gardening, or playing instruments can provide healthy emotional outlets to help reduce stress and strengthen [someone’s] sense of self,” says Marcum. “As a bonus, these things also help to shift attention away from symptoms.”
Some other potential hobbies to get you started include:
- Reading
- Drawing or coloring
- Writing a poem, a journal entry, or a short story
- Listening to a favorite album
- Knitting or crocheting
2. Spend Time With Loved Ones or Peers
Some organizations also offer peer-matching, which means they connect you with another person who has UC. Research shows that peer support programs can help you manage UC better and improve your mental health.
3. Take a Nature Walk
If leaving the house doesn’t feel doable, you can still get the benefit of movement in your home. Walk up and down your hallway or do some simple stretches in bed, says Heather Ventura-Witcher, PhD, a gastrointestinal psychologist at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.
4. Try Some Yoga Poses
Look up calming yoga routines online, or join a virtual yoga class to get started. If you’re in a flare and a yoga routine sounds like too much, you can try chair yoga for an easier option, says Dr. Ventura-Witcher.
5. Focus on the Present With Mindfulness
For example, instead of letting your thoughts run through the gauntlet of the symptoms you might feel later that day, stop and observe what you feel right then.
Scan your body and notice what you feel, hear, taste, smell, and see. If you feel stomach cramps, say to yourself, “I feel stomach cramps.” But don’t add any statements of judgment or value to it, like, “I feel stomach cramps that will ruin my day.”
- Lessen symptoms of anxiety and depression
- Boost positivity and mood
- Help you worry less
If your provider doesn’t offer this kind of therapy, you can reach out to an organization like GI Psychology, says Ventura-Witcher. Gut-directed hypnotherapy apps you can do at your own pace, like Nerva, are also an option.
6. Eat for Energy
When you have UC, your appetite can be nonexistent. But if you don’t eat enough, you can get tired and irritable.
“We want to make sure that we’re fueling our bodies appropriately,” says Ventura-Witcher. “But this is really challenging when we have any disorder of the digestive system, where eating might elicit pain.”
Ventura-Witcher suggests eating six or seven small meals a day and adding protein shakes and fiber supplements as needed.
7. Start Healthy Sleep Habits
- Keep your bedroom dark, comfortable, and cool.
- Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, even on weekends.
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine before bed.
- Get outside every day.
- Create a pre-sleep relaxation routine.
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