Finding a Happy and Healing Hobby
Many seasoned sufferers will tell you that living well with fibromyalgia is about learning to live around the pain.
Rather than suffering through the aching, throbbing discomfort, it’s up to you to find ways to enjoy your physical capabilities – and all the fulfillment that they can bring – without simply pushing against your limitations.
Activity is integral to fibro management, especially when you feel like your disease is gaining ground on your confidence and capabilities.
Learn how to overcome the threat to your emotional health and physical pain with creative approaches to an active, engaging lifestyle.
Taking Control of Your Pain
The more enjoyment you get out of your downtime, the better your physical and emotional wellbeing.
Engaging, fibro friendly activities that offer opportunities to learn new things, refine your skills, and build your creativity can even help you take control over some common and uncomfortable aspects of fibromyalgia:
Happy Pastimes Fight Depression
Boredom and apathy are damaging – when your mind and body go too long without stimulation, your brain chemistry may suffer.
Unfortunately, a chronic, physically stressful condition like fibromyalgia tends to feed this mindset, which may explain why around 20% of fibro patients also suffer from anxiety or depression.
The good news is that participating in creative activities that you enjoy can improve mental health. In fact, artistic hobbies can be so emotionally beneficial that art therapy programs have become a mainstream course of treatment for a variety of mood disorders.
Using Your Talents Will Distract from Your Limitations
Fibromyalgia is a burden, and the symptoms can weigh on your mind as much as your body. But engaging in an activity that you’re good at can distract you from the sore points in your daily management, and that’s a powerful tool for stress relief.
Discovering new talents can be an appealing distraction, too. Taking a dance class, language lesson, or workshop that teaches you new techniques can actually help your brain work in different ways, which can bring a boost in energy, focus, and inspiration.
Short Bursts of Activity Help in the Long-Term
A recent study has shown that short periods of exertion are just as good as more conventional exercise routines – perhaps even better. Patients in the study reported less pain and better function after incorporating “lifestyle physical activity” into their days.
In plain terms, that means finding more ways to move more frequently, whether it’s taking the stairs, adding an extra gardening session, or walking down the street and back if you have a few minutes to spare.
These short bursts of activity can be as beneficial of 30 consecutive minutes of exercise, which is good news for everyone. When it comes to finding a new activity or hobby, keep in mind that you don’t need to devote long stretches of time to enjoy some stress-relief, pain-relief, and a better state of mind.
