Treat Sleep Apnea
Another common problem for people with schizophrenia is obstructive sleep apnea. This temporary, repeated blockage of your airway during the night can cause loud snoring. It's linked to heart disease. People with schizophrenia are more likely to die from a heart attack, so it's doubly important to get treatment.
Move Your Body
Exercise is good for your body and your mind. It can improve your symptoms and even help your brain work better. If you aren't active, start slowly. Pick something you like to do so you'll stick with it.
Don't Withdraw
It's common to feel lonely and socially isolated when you have schizophrenia. But these emotions can make your condition much worse. Reach out to trusted friends and loved ones. You may also want to join a support group. If it's hard for you to make connections with people or keep up relationships, ask your doctor about social skills training.
Surround Yourself With Positive People
If your loved ones are too critical, intrusive, or demanding, it can make your symptoms worse. That's because this kind of behavior can create a stressful environment. If this sounds familiar, you could all benefit from a family therapy program that teaches you about https://hillsboroughneuropsych.com/ schizophrenia, as well as showing you how to talk to one another about it and solve problems.
What to Eat When You Have Schizophrenia
Your Diet Matters
Those with schizophrenia, a chronic mental illness, often have unhealthy diets. Bad eating habits often lead to other health problems that can put these people at high risk for things like cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Research suggests that some changes in diet can really help. Here's a look at some foods to consider, and a couple to avoid.
Eat More: Fruits
Many studies suggest that people with schizophrenia often don't get enough fiber. Fruits — raspberries, pears, apples, and others — are some of the best sources of it. Fiber helps lower “bad” cholesterol and aids in digestion. Fiber-rich diets may lower your chance of some health problems that are often associated with schizophrenia, such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Fruits have healthy vitamins, too.
Eat More: Vegetables
Low in fat and calories, packed with fiber and important vitamins, and without any heart-heavy cholesterol, vegetables are another staple missing in the diet of many people who have schizophrenia. Potassium, a key nutrient that may help keep your blood sugar in check, is in vegetables like Lima beans, kidney beans, and sweet potatoes.