“A consistent routine is important for those with fibromyalgia, since it brings structure and control to an otherwise unpredictable condition,” says Eric Ascher, DO, a family medicine physician at Northwell Health’s Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. “Structure allows you to make tasks manageable, reduces stress, and hopefully minimizes symptom flares.”
Daily habits should feel supportive, not like they’re items on a to-do list. They won’t replace medical treatment, but they have the potential to improve your quality of life. Here are five to consider when you’re managing fibromyalgia.
1. Set a Consistent Bedtime and Wake Time
“Consistent sleep and wake times are important for everyone, but they’re especially crucial for those with fibromyalgia, since the condition is negatively affected by irregular sleeping patterns,” says Dr. Ascher. “Regular sleep rituals, starting with going to bed at the same time every night and waking at the same time every morning, usually lead to stress reduction and improved sleep.”
2. Practice Gentle Movement
“Adding gentle movement and stretching just after waking up can help alleviate some stiffness and pain,” he says. “You can also incorporate short sessions of movement throughout the day to prevent that stiffness.”
Another advantage to reducing muscle-related pain and stiffness is that it can provide stress relief, Ascher says. Gentle movement such as yoga has been linked to better stress management and improved overall well-being.
3. Focus on Physical and Mental Relaxation
- Massage
- Heat wraps
- Physical therapy
- Over-the-counter topical pain creams
- Handheld massagers used on the lowest setting
4. Track Your Symptoms and Schedule Rest Breaks
If you keep a journal for a few weeks that tracks energy levels and pain each day, you may be able to figure out when you tend to feel best. For example, you might be more energetic from 10 a.m. until noon, but feel most fatigued in the late afternoon. Any patterns you discover can help you create a daily schedule in which your most important tasks coincide with when you’re feeling your best, says Ascher. Part of managing your schedule also involves identifying rest times in advance.
“These breaks are also useful for combating brain fog, which is another common symptom of fibromyalgia,” says Ascher. “Scheduling breaks ahead of time can prevent overdoing it with too many tasks, which tends to cause a flare.”
5. Keep a Journal
The same journal that helps you track energy levels and physical symptoms can be a boon for emotional health as well, says Marty Maidenberg, a licensed mental health counselor at Pathways Psychological Services in New York City.
“Particularly if you’re feeling restricted in your bodily movement, writing can offer an outlet to express how you’re feeling, or to make the pain tangible,” he says. “That means converting the idea of pain into something that can be described and managed — not just something that’s happening to you and is beyond your control — which helps you feel more stable.”
Jotting down thoughts as part of your bedtime routine can aid in getting more restful sleep, says Ascher. That’s because getting those feelings out can alleviate stress and worries before bedtime.
How to Build Habits That Stick
While creating habits may be helpful, self-care can also be challenging to implement, says Maidenberg.
“Mental barriers to change and feeling as though everything is an obstacle to progress often stop us in our tracks,” he says. “Don’t overwhelm yourself trying to find an ‘answer’ or a ‘fix’ to your issues. Not everything needs to change or happen at once.”
To build habits that are consistent, begin by choosing one action to put into motion first, says Maidenberg. For example, you might start by going to bed at 9 p.m. every night and waking up at 5 a.m., without exception. You may feel more confident about your ability to incorporate new habits within a few weeks of consistently practicing the first one, leading you to start another new habit, like doing 15 minutes of gentle stretching each morning.
“Stacking habits this way can give you a feeling of accomplishment, and that can create a ripple effect,” Maidenberg says. “Habits don’t have to be complex to be meaningful. Even simple changes may end up having a significant effect on fibromyalgia symptoms.”
The Takeaway
- Because symptoms can flare suddenly with fibromyalgia, the condition can lead to overwhelm.
- Maintaining a consistent daily schedule can help you feel more stable.
- Even simple daily habits like going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day, getting gentle movement in the morning, and taking short breaks at regular intervals can be helpful.
- Be sure to celebrate meeting your goals, as that can have a ripple effect that leads you to support yourself in other ways.
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