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What to do when the hours are endless during the long painful nights and sleep becomes a stranger.

Over the thousands of years that humans have been on this planet there are many remedies to try to cure insomnia. Some of these are questionable, some are effective, some are harmful. But they are all attempts that seem to have been effective to some insomnia sufferers. This plan and information is not to be considered medical advice. As with all suggestions for treatment use your own judgment and consult with your health care professionals.

First of all, exercise will help you sleep more deeply and longer. So will proper diet and supplements.

In the case of FMS , we seem to suffer from a sleep disturbance which could be linked to a more central problem or could have a combination of physical and emotional causes, including nervous tension, discomfort and pain, toxicity and anxiety. Our nervous systems seem to be short-circuited. Many times, sleeping meds work in the opposite way and keep us awake. WE do not seem to be able to respond to traditional medications as normal people do. One theory is that we do not process nutrients, and that we cannot metabolize pharmaceuticals in order for them to do the job for which they were formulated. One thing is for sure, if you have chronic insomnia, going to bed in a state of suspense, and wondering if you will be able to sleep, will not help you.

REDUCE STRESS -- If you are working full-time, switch to part-time or quit if you can. Get out of the "rat race!" Most FMS sufferers are high achieving, high-energy people. We are "doers" who sometimes do too much! Don't overload yourself with time commitments that will cause you stress later. Learn to say "no" and allow yourself to relax.

GET PLENTY OF SUNLIGHT (or daylight) -- If you work indoors, go outside for breaks. If you are at home during the day, open the curtains and turn on the lights. It's worth a few cents of electricity to create a cheerful environment and feel less depressed and achy. Lift your face and the palm of your hands to the sun for five minutes each day.

COMPUTERS -- The flickering light of my computer screen can bring on a rapid worsening of my FMS! Take a break from the screen or wear dark glasses, especially before retiring. Perhaps certain spectrums of light are harmful to people who are more light sensitive than others. Research is being done on the effect of light on the pineal gland--the gland that produces Melatonin necessary for sleep. Flickering light can cause changes in the EEG patterns in the brain. Researchers are experimenting with flickering light therapy to help FMS patients by restructuring EEG patterns!

SLEEP Quality and Quantity of Sleep improves FMS symptoms. (People who volunteered for sleep deprivation experiments actually developed similar symptoms!) You can try Life Plus Somniset for restorative sleep at night with no "hangover" the next day. Many people take antidepressants for sleep but they often make you feel worse or cause unpleasant side effects. Somniset contains Melatonin, as well as synergistic herbs, minerals and amino acids. The recommended dosage is 1-5 tablets taken 30-45 minutes before bedtime. Somniset is a nutritional support for sleep, so it works gently and slowly. Somniset evidently provides some restorative sleep. One night of "bad sleep" almost always leads to more nights of the same. Nothing is more frustrating. This is due to Serotonin depletion in the brain. (Serotonin is a neurochemical that regulates moods and depression. It is related to Melatonin, produced by the pineal gland.

Melatonin is needed for sleep, and it regulates the level of Serotonin.) With Somniset , most will experience deeper sleep, resulting in more energy and a feeling of well-being . Restorative sleep strengthens and repairs the immune system! Taking one 50 mg capsule of 5-HTP with your evening meal helps to lengthen and deepen sleep (when used in conjunction with Somniset at bedtime.) as well but in some cases causes stomach problems.

UNWINDING MENTALLY - Learn to unwind. Listen to soft, soothing music. Avoid mentally stimulating activities such as intense conversations, balancing the checkbook, doing serious mental work. One hour before bedtime, sit quietly in a very quiet and dimly lit room to get your body into sleep mode. The brain has an arousal mechanism that once you get it going, it's hard to slow it down! Relax - and if you watch Tv, use dark shades.

REST -- If possible, take 10-30 minutes after lunch to lie down and rest. Just relaxing your mind down and thinking peaceful thoughts will help. Gentle stretching and then meditating is even better. You can sit at a park bench, on your porch, in your car, close your eyes and block out the world for a few minutes. Some FMS sufferers have to lie down and rest for a short time every couple of hours to get through the day.

COLD PACKS -- A cold gel pack (available at any drug store & used to treat injuries) stored in the refrigerator or freezer can be applied to the back of the neck when you're lying down. The cold pack will relax your neck and slow down your thoughts. (If you keep your gel pack in the freezer, use a cloth wrapped around it to avoid damaging skin or blood vessels with intense cold.)

HEAT -- Sometimes a warm or hot bath can relieve the stiffness and soreness of FMS, but for many people, once they are out of the tub, the pain comes back. Sometimes a heating pad feels good on a sore shoulder or back which helps also to relax you. Or, try a hot bath with lavender bath salts, soft music, candles, meditation and then apply the cold gel pack on the back of the neck.

ANTIOXIDANTS -- There is new exciting research indicating that antioxidants can bring about remission of FMS. Since Proanthenols are powerful antioxidants, it is not surprising that so many Fibromyalgia patients are finding relief by taking them. Dr. Jack Masquelier, who discovered OPC's in 1947, has proven Life Plus Proanthenols to be 100% bioavailable from the digestive tract. OPC's travel through the bloodstream to every part of the body, especially those rich in collagen. Collagen is a structural part of our blood vessels, skin and connective tissues like ligaments and tendons. There are many brands of OPC's on the market now, but some are as low as 5-10 % bioavailable! You will find a list of url's on the Supplement Part of the Plan.

EXERCISE -- Try not to be completely sedentary. Your cells detoxify better when you are physically active. Stretch many times a day. Watch your posture and learn to start and maintain a faithful exercise plan as described in the Wellness Train Plan. Exercise balls are wonderful to drape yourself over and practice stretching exercises. Videos and TV shows are available.

MASSAGE -- Ask your spouse or family member to give you a massage, or see a licensed myofascial massage therapist who understands FMS and trigger points. Avoid deep massages such as "rolfing," as it will increase pain. Try something relaxing like a gentle Swedish massage. You can depend on a friend, husband or sister for occasional "trigger point" massages, which are very helpful. You can also apply trigger point pressure (gently) to yourself.

BEDROOM - Often our backs need support but when a mattress is too hard, we often feel achier and are in more pain from lying on a hard surface. We need the support and softness so often a convoluted foam topper on top of your own mattress helps a great deal.

SOFT DRINKS - Carbonated beverages leach calcium and magnesium from the body. These two minerals are absolutely necessary for healthy muscles and bones. People with FMS don't need to be losing any magnesium, as they are usually deficient already, so avoid soft drinks! (Diet soft drinks are even worse because they also contain aspartame, which contains arsenic.)

DOCTORS - We have all learned that most doctors do not know how to treat FMS. It's a confusing condition with strange symptoms. They all prescribed muscle relaxants, antidepressants, anti-inflammatory drugs, sleeping pills and pain pills.

Some of these help and some do not, although some form of pain support is needed for acute and flaring pain. And many of these drugs had unpleasant and dangerous side effects. Being proactive in your health care helps, as well as trying to find out what WORKS for YOU.

DEPRESSION - Many FMS sufferers suffer from depression which is caused by a disturbance in brain chemicals usually caused by lack of restorative sleep. Clinical depression can be a further complication as well. Depression can occur because of the continual pain, the loss of hope of ever feeling better, people who do not understand, doctors who do not co-operate or know how to help you etc. Our lives are affected and the most common factor seems to be the unrelenting pain.

NIGHTSHADE VEGETABLES -- Some people report more muscle pain after eating tomatoes, bell peppers or potatoes. You may want to try omitting these from your diet. Tomatoes contain high levels of glutamates, which cause muscle pain in some people.

NOISE - If you have sensitive hearing and/or tinnitus (ringing in the ears), as many people with FMS do, try to avoid loud noises. Using white noise such as a fan or a radio turned down low helps, as well as foam ear plugs.

DARK/LIGHT -- If light wakes you up too early in the morning, use room-darkening shades or heavy drapes. Try to keep to your usual sleep schedule as you can throw off your internal time clock by sleeping late when you need more hours of daylight.

BRAIN - -- A study found diminished blood flow to parts of the brain in people with FMS and an increase in the chemical that helps transmit pain signals. Researchers also discovered that men produce 52% more Serotonin than do women. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter in the brain that regulates depression and your moods. If you are under stress, more Serotonin is used. People with FMS are often deficient in Serotonin, which may be a reason that stress aggravates the symptoms of FMS.