There are many small lifestyles changes you can make today that have a big impact on chronic pain and other fibromyalgia symptoms. Here we show you 5 super easy tips to improve your quality of life that you can incorporate into your day to day to help you stay active.
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5 tips to improve your quality of life if you have fibromyalgia.
These quality-of-life tips put you in charge of your fibromyalgia symptoms – they can even help you deal more effectively with the chronic widespread pain and fatigue that are the most common fibromyalgia symptoms.
Eat healthy and nutritious food.
We already know how important it is to eat fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, but with fibromyalgia, you really need to pay attention to what you’re eating. In fact, some foods, such as caffeine, highly processed foods, and indeed some fresh, natural foods can exacerbate fibromyalgia symptoms.
Before thinking about what foods to eat, a person with fibromyalgia should see which foods they will need to cut out of their daily diet and which are highly inflammatory. For example, flours that contain gluten, sugar, dairy, highly processed foods, alcohol, and some other natural foods such as legumes (beans, peas, chickpeas, etc.) that contain a protein that for some people with fibromyalgia it can be inflammatory. You can really improve your quality of life a lot by stopping consuming foods that make your fibromyalgia symptoms worse and that you didn’t know that was causing your inflammation.
Exercise more often.
Exercise is the last thing on your mind when it comes to coping with fibromyalgia. However, exercise with fibromyalgia is one of the best ways to relieve fibromyalgia symptoms: it increases energy, releases endorphins (wellness hormones), strengthens muscles, and promotes better sleep habits.
Try a combination of aerobic, strength, and flexibility exercises. And start slow – there’s no need to rush into exercise, especially if you haven’t been physically active in a long time. Do what you can
Get a massage.
Regular massage sessions can relieve fibromyalgia-related pain, but massage is also effective in decreasing stiffness and swelling, increasing flexibility, and improving range of motion.
Manage your stress effectively.
Not being able to cope with stress can keep pain and other fibromyalgia symptoms from going away. Relaxation techniques, such as meditation and deep breathing, can really help make you feel better about fibromyalgia. Try to set aside time each day to do activities that you love and help relieve stress. For example, you could read a good book or take a hot bubble bath.
Sleep more and sleep better.
If you find quality, restful sleep difficult to find, you are not alone. Many people with fibromyalgia don’t get enough sleep, and if they do, many people with fibromyalgia don’t feel well rested when they wake up. But getting quality sleep helps you feel better and can also help reduce fibromyalgia-related pain.
Try to get at least 8 hours of sleep each night. To help you sleep, do deep breathing exercises and meditation. Also, set regular sleep times: go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Also always consider napping whenever the body needs it, do not force it and take it to the top of the resistance, that produces more pain and fatigue and also tension. If you’re still having trouble sleeping, talk to your doctor about what you can do to get better sleep.
These 5 tips to improve your fibromyalgia lifestyle are easy things you can do now to feel better.