Fibromyalgia Everyday Living Tips

Sufferers of fibromyalgia often learn how to deal with their stressful and painful symptoms of fibro though experience. Because your symptoms can change from day to day, you may not know what to expect from your body, and you may have to discover a whole new arsenal of coping strategies from one day to the next. 

Here are some quick every day living tips you can use to cope with your fibromyalgia symptoms.

The 15-Minute Task Schedule

Sometimes it can be painful to even move it you have fibromyalgia, let alone think about doing a daunting task, especially if you are suffering from fatigue or anxiety. To make daunting tasks seem more conquerable, try to tackle things in 15-minute chinks of time.

For example, rather than worrying about cleaning the whole house or even your whole kitchen in one day, start light. Do some general tidying and then concentrate for 15 minutes a day on one area. You will have things under control in no time for seemingly less effort.

Stay Organized

Organize your closets and cupboards so that your most frequently used items are front and center and easy to reach. Things you use on a regular basis should be at the same height as the center of your body – between your mid thighs and your shoulders.

Also make sure that heavy items are stored on level with your waist to eliminate bending and lifting.

Eliminate Scrubbing

Don’t waste your time and energy scrubbing pots! Instead, fill them with hot water and boil them for several minutes. This will loosen stuck-on grime and it should come up easily. You can also boil water in a kettle to pour over dishes and china to have the same effect. Just make sure you are pouring the water in onto your dishes in the sink, away from your hands.

Help for Stubborn Lids

Trying to open a stubborn jar with aches and pains can be frustrating. Try wearing rubber gloves to open the jar or using a 5″ diameter circle of rubberized shelf liner to strengthen your grip. In a pinch, an elastic band around the lid will help increase your grip.

For new jars, try tapping the bottom of the jar while it’s upside down to break the seal, or dent the top edges of the jar lid with a heavy utensil to break the seal.

For sticky jars, try running the lid and jar under hot water to loosen whatever sticky substance is holding the lid on.

Easy Oven Cleaning

Line your oven and stove burners with tin foil. Periodically throw out the soiled foil and replace it with new foil to eliminate scrubbing your stove and oven. You can now buy aluminum burner liners for grocery, hardware, and dollar stores.