Pain doesn’t have to stop you from doing what you love. The Every Women shares a few pieces of advice on how you can suffer less and get more out of life.

Stress less

Chronic pain is a debilitating condition that can take its toll on your physical and mental health. The way we cope with unpleasant situations has a huge impact on our bodies. Stress and pain are deeply interconnected, with the two intensifying each other.

Create a healthier and more positive space at home by decluttering, letting in more natural light, and adding some indoor plants. For added health measures, clean your home from top to bottom, and make an effort to reduce allergens, which can also contribute to chronic pain. This should extend to your furniture too, which might need a thorough cleaning from a reliable professional, which you can quickly track down through a site like Angi.

In addition to making changes at home, take a few moments each day for some personal downtime, which will help clear your mind so that you can take greater care of your body. Once tension builds up, it is harder to let go, so implement techniques that can help you extract yourself from difficult situations.

Exercise more

Though it may seem counterproductive, physical activity can actually reduce your long-term discomfort. Exercising triggers brain chemicals called endorphins, which naturally block pain signals. Exercise has the additional benefit of helping strengthen muscles to prevent re-injury.

The key to creating a fitness routine that works for you and living a healthier lifestyle is to be consistent and set attainable goals. Maintaining an active lifestyle will help you manage your weight, which is important as obesity has been identified as a risk factor for persistent pain. A study published by the National Institute of Health reports that people in the morbidly obese category (a BMI of 35 or higher) suffer recurrent pain 254 percent more often than people of a healthy weight.

Drink less

The idea of “drinking your pain away” might work on the big screen, but the reality is that the overconsumption of alcohol does just the opposite. Alcohol, despite being a depressant, can actually make it more difficult to get a good night’s sleep. Alcohol interrupts your circadian rhythm, aggravates breathing problems, and prevents you from entering into REM sleep, where your body is fully at rest. Your body needs sleep to repair and recover, so drinking too much can have a negative effect on your overall quality of life, not to mention the fact that you can put yourself in danger of addiction.

Socialize more

Join a support group and make connections with others who understand what it’s like to live with pain every day. You will benefit from knowing that you’re not alone. Establishing a social network can help you take your mind off the pain and open up a whole new world of resources that you can take advantage of for advice on coping with your personal situation.

Eat less

Your diet plays a huge role in how you feel on the inside. If you’re like the millions of Americans who grab dinner each night at the local drive-through, it may be time to rethink what you eat and drink. Eating a diet devoid of processed foods will aid in digestion. Swap burgers and fries for foods such as lean meats, dried beans, and whole grains and you will likely have fewer stomach issues such as bloating, constipation, and diarrhea. Likewise, a whole-foods diet will deliver more nutrition to every cell in your body, which will lead to overall better health.

Enjoy more

Focusing on your pain can exacerbate your feelings of discomfort tenfold. Try to keep your mind occupied, and your body will suffer less. Pick an activity that you enjoy that will keep you from thinking about your aches and pains. Gardening, playing board games, crossword puzzles, painting, and expressive writing are all mind-stimulating activities that can help you feel more in control.

While you might not be able to avoid pain altogether, these simple steps can help you live a fuller life. Combined with medication and physical therapy, small lifestyle changes can have a huge impact on your mental and physical well-being.