Helping myself

Because I have read so much about Fibromyalgia, I have learned ways to decrease my Fibro sympoms. There is no "cure," but I definitely think there are things that can make a difference.

Keep in mind, though -- I'm not a doctor. So run any ideas by your doctor first to be on the safe side.

First of all is to increase sleep & then to improve the quality of your sleep. For me, it included having a sleep apnea test then getting fitted for a CPAP mask once I was found to have apnea.

Take all the advice doctors generally give about sleep -- Don't do any work in the bedroom, don't have TV or computers in there. Keep the room cool and dark. Just flicking a light in for a second will mess up your circadian rhythm & melatonin.

Some people find melatonin supplements help (don't take them more than 30 days though, or your body will stop producing its own melatonin.) I like to take Benadryl as a sleep aid.

Mild exercise like walking each day after dinner can really help your sleep.

A warm soak for 20 minutes in Epsom Salts will really help muscles relax. You also absorb magnesium through the skin. I use Dr Teals Epsom Salt with lavender. Lavender helps aid relaxation.

Another thing I do is avoid suspenseful movies and upsetting newscasts. I do care about what's going on in the world, it's just that I care too much and it ends up hurting me. I think exciting things also excite the nervous system. If the nervous system is overly worked up, it makes sense to not stimulate it further. I also avoid most caffeine.

Any other ideas or suggestions on how to calm the central nervous system?