Calm Down-Listen Up

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Great stress aticle heidi

Calm Down--Listen Up

Friday, December 19, 2008

By: Rayn Cumiskey

FMOnline vol. 8, no. 12

It is no secret that stress exacerbates flares. It's a conundrum in

itself because there are circumstances we think aren't stressful, but

our bodies are translating them very differently. Our immune systems,

with FM, can translate even good stress as an attack on the body and

will flare in order to protect itself from complete overload, so it

requires a certain insight into this so we can catch these things

before they get out of control.

Stress can be cumulative as well. Something that occurred a week ago

can catch up to us and flare us out for two weeks afterwards. Feel

better yet?

You will. Slow down, calm down, listen up. Slow your brain down, calm

your body down and listen to both of them. The world is moving at

Mach V—we can't; and trying to compete with the speed with which

everyone in good health is moving is not a game you want to get

caught up in. You need to find your own pace, your own way of

managing daily activities, despite the judgments, criticisms and

prejudices of others and this includes family, friends and co-workers.

Living with fibromyalgia requires change and often drastic ones, but

learning limitations and coping with acceptance (not giving up) of

those limitations will give us a lot more pain-free days.

Crowds are stressful for me. I limit my time in large crowds and hang

out with friends individually or in smaller groups and only for an

hour or so one or two times a week. It's more intimate, more

fulfilling to get to know another person, and I come home in a much

better frame of mind and body.

Do not misinterpret self-care as being selfish. Last-minute

cancellations are common with FM. We wake up in pain and it's not

anyone's fault; it's just the nature of the disease. People will

understand or they won't; it's not your problem but will become one

if you push yourself and stress yourself out trying to go beyond your

energy limits.

Exercise is critical for keeping stress levels lower. Very mild

exercise like a walk or stretching slowly can make a lot of

difference. It increases endorphin levels, pumps more oxygen into

your cells and muscles and gives the body and mind a sense of calm.

Mild exercise every day or every other day for 15 - 20 minutes will

help with controlling stress.

Normal people need to take breaks too. FM requires more breaks, more

attention to self care and more awareness of what stresses us out.

Give yourself permission to stay quiet and focused on positive

actions and having hobbies that you love that are not taxing and

being around people who are compassionate.