Powered By
Stress, sun exposure, weather changes, and overexertion are four factors that MyLupusTeam members commonly describe as affecting their lupus.
Stress and ultraviolet (UV) exposure are evidence-backed lupus flare triggers, as are infections, certain medications, smoking, and sleep deprivation.
Weather changes and heat may worsen symptoms for some people, but they aren’t as well established as direct triggers of lupus disease activity. Research on weather and lupus flares is still developing, and triggers can vary from person to person.
These four factors aren’t the only ones that may affect people with lupus. It may not always be clear what caused a flare. Keeping track of what happens before your symptoms worsen can help you notice patterns and give you useful information to discuss with your healthcare team.
Sign up to view the results!
Continue with Facebook
Continue with Email
Lupus flares can feel different from person to person. A flare is a period when lupus symptoms increase, followed by periods when symptoms may improve or go away.
MyLupusTeam members commonly report these flare symptoms:
These symptoms can have causes other than lupus. Talk with your healthcare provider about new, worsening, severe, or unusual symptoms rather than assuming they’re part of a flare.
MyLupusTeam members often mention stress, sun exposure, weather and temperature changes, and overexertion or lack of sleep as factors that affect their lupus.
Sometimes more than one factor may be involved. A stressful week might also mean less sleep, for example, while a hot day outdoors could involve sun exposure, heat, and extra activity.
Because everyone’s experience with lupus is different, the goal isn’t to avoid every possible trigger. Instead, learning your own patterns may help you identify situations that tend to come before your lupus flare-ups or make your symptoms feel worse — and find ways to manage the factors you can control.
Stress is one of the lupus triggers members frequently talk about. Emotional strain or stress may be associated with lupus flares, although stress can be difficult to measure and affects everyone differently.
One MyLupusTeam member described both their trigger and the strategy they use to cope with it: “Stress is a big trigger for me. Most of my stress has come from my family. How I am managing my stress is setting firm boundaries.”
Another member described the many potential sources of stress that can lead to a flare: “When I have a bad flare-up, it’s always stress-related. … It can be a death in the family, a troubled relationship, finances, extreme worry about someone or situation, or a major health issue not related to lupus.”
You can’t eliminate every source of stress. But if you notice that stressful periods often come before lupus flare-ups, consider recording them along with your symptoms.
Setting boundaries, building in recovery time, and discussing ongoing stress with your healthcare team may help you find strategies that fit your life. MyLupusTeam members have also shared their own best tips for relieving stress.
Ultraviolet exposure can worsen lupus, especially for people who are photosensitive. Photosensitivity is an abnormal skin reaction to UV light.
How much exposure a person can tolerate varies considerably. Some members also report feeling worse in hot conditions, although heat itself isn’t as well established as a direct trigger of lupus disease activity.
One member described having symptoms even after taking precautions: “I walked to my mailbox and back last year (five minutes tops), had a UV shirt, pants, and brimmed hat. Was one of the worst flares I’ve been through.”
Another member explained how their tolerance has changed: “I think it depends on the person and how they are at that point. This year, five to 10 minutes with short sleeves, no hat and sunscreen, do me in. Long sleeves, hat, and sunscreen buy me about 30 minutes this year.”
If sunlight seems connected to your symptoms, talk with your healthcare provider about appropriate sun protection and how to balance protection with the activities you enjoy. You might also consider some expert tips on protecting your skin from sun exposure.
Sun exposure isn’t the only weather-related factor members notice. MyLupusTeam members have described feeling worse during cold weather, humidity, storms, and sudden temperature changes.
These experiences are important, but weather changes haven’t been established as direct triggers of inflammatory lupus flares in the same way UV exposure has. Some research has found more flares during periods with more rain, relative humidity, and wind. However, studies of barometric pressure changes have not found an association with increased lupus flares.
For one member, both heat and cold create different challenges: “My sweet spot is 50 degrees to 75 degrees when the humidity is low. I can’t tolerate humidity. And if it’s hot and humid — oh boy — let’s just say I need to lay down.”
Another member noticed a connection with changing weather: “It’s not so much the cold but the temperature drops, rising and dropping again, that drives me insane. Earlier today, I was aching so bad I thought I was going to lose my dinner. Waited 20 minutes, it started raining, and now I’m OK.”
Because weather is impossible to control, recognizing your own pattern may be more useful than trying to avoid every change. You might note the temperature or weather alongside symptoms to see whether a pattern emerges.
If you’re considering moving, it may help to take into account the climate of your new prospective home.
A full schedule can make it hard to recognize when you’re approaching your limits. Several MyLupusTeam members said that too much activity, too little sleep, or both may precede a flare.
Sleep problems are common for people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the most common form of lupus. Researchers have found that sleep disorders may be associated with disease activity, pain, and fatigue.
One member shared, “It helps to keep a journal. … For me, I know that I did too much three days in a row last week and didn’t sleep well. Now I am extremely fatigued and a bit achy.”
Another described planning recovery time after busy days: “One of the things that helps me is taking it easy after two busy days in a row. If I don’t, I crash into a flare. … If you can plan days off, go for it.”
Pacing doesn’t have to mean giving up activities that matter to you. It can mean paying attention to your energy, planning rest around demanding days, and discussing persistent sleep problems or lupus-related fatigue with your healthcare provider.
There’s no single list of lupus triggers that applies to everyone. Your own triggers and symptom patterns may be different or may include factors not covered in this article.
Consider keeping track of your symptoms along with factors such as stress, sleep, activity, sun exposure, weather, illness, and other changes you notice. The Lupus Foundation of America recommends tracking symptoms and possible triggers to help identify patterns and discuss them with a healthcare professional.
Patterns may become clearer over time, and your notes can give you useful information to share with your healthcare team. If your symptoms are new, worsening, severe, or different from what you usually experience with a flare, talk with your healthcare provider. They can help determine what may be causing the change and whether another health issue could be involved.
What factors seem to affect your lupus most or tend to come before a flare? Share any triggers or patterns you’ve noticed, such as stress, sun exposure, lack of sleep, overexertion, illness, weather changes, or something else.
Continue with Facebook
Continue with Email
Continue with Facebook
Continue with Email
Become a member to get even more
Join
Your Privacy Choices
This is a member-feature!
Sign up for free to view article comments.
You can move to Southern California, south of LA or outside of San Diego. But it's so expensive, I don't know if it's worth it.
We'd love to hear from you! Please share your name and email to post and read comments.
You'll also get the latest articles directly to your inbox.