31/08/2026
I follow this lovely lady on here and my personal page, and Jo has so many interesting recources!!
I'm hoping that tomorrow when we meet (Tuesday 1st September) we can discuss some of the points that Jo shares.
We will be at the Coniston Crescent Community room between 11am and 1pm, everyone is welcome
๐ FIBRO & ME ๐
๐ป WHY DOES PAIN FEEL DIFFERENT IN THE MORNING, AFTERNOON & NIGHT? ๐ป
๐ฉต โWHY CAN I FEEL SO DIFFERENT AT 8AM, 2PM AND 10PM?โ ๐ฉต
If you live with fibromyalgia, you might notice something strange:
THE PAIN DOESNโT STAY THE SAME ALL DAY.
You can wake up feeling like youโve been hit by a truckโฆ
Feel slightly better around lunchtimeโฆ
โฆand then find yourself hurting again by bedtime.
Or perhaps your day goes completely the opposite way.
THATโS THE FRUSTRATING THING ABOUT FIBRO โ THERE ISNโT ALWAYS A PREDICTABLE PATTERN.
๐ฉท ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐งก โค๏ธ
๐ MORNING โ โWHY DOES EVERYTHING HURT?โ
For many people with fibromyalgia, mornings can be particularly difficult.
Youโve technically been resting for hoursโฆ
So why do you feel like youโve done a twelve-hour shift?!
You might wake up with:
๐ Stiffness
๐ Aching muscles
๐ Heavy limbs
๐ Widespread pain
๐ Extreme fatigue
๐ Brain fog
๐ Difficulty getting moving
And then thereโs the classic:
โIโVE JUST SLEPTโฆ SO WHY AM I EXHAUSTED?โ
Fibromyalgia can be associated with sleep problems and waking feeling unrefreshed, which can contribute to morning fatigue and increased pain.
๐ฉท ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐งก โค๏ธ
๐ WHY CAN MORNINGS FEEL SO BAD?
One reason is that sleep doesnโt always equal restorative sleep when you have fibromyalgia.
You may spend enough hours in bed but still wake feeling as though your body hasnโt properly recharged.
You may also have been in one position for several hours.
Then you try to moveโฆ
AND EVERY MUSCLE HAS AN OPINION.
Getting moving gently can sometimes help ease stiffness, but pushing yourself too hard first thing can leave you paying for it later.
๐ฉท ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐งก โค๏ธ
๐ AFTERNOON โ โOKAYโฆ I CAN FUNCTION!โ
Then something strange happens.
Youโve had a shower.
Youโve moved around.
Youโve had something to eat.
Youโve been awake for a few hours.
And suddenly:
โOHโฆ I DONโT FEEL QUITE AS AWFUL.โ
For some people, pain and stiffness can ease as they gradually move around.
But that doesnโt mean the fibro has disappeared.
Your energy may still be limited.
And this is where the dangerous thought can appear:
โI FEEL BETTER! IโM GOING TO DO EVERYTHING!โ
FIBRO HAS ENTERED THE CHAT.
๐ฉท ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐งก โค๏ธ
๐งก THE AFTERNOON TRAP
Feeling better can be wonderful.
But it can also be tempting to catch up on everything youโve been unable to do.
Cleaning.
Shopping.
Cooking.
Appointments.
Work.
Socialising.
All at once.
Then your body starts sending little warning signals:
โHELLOโฆ WEโRE GETTING TIRED.โ
Ignore them long enough and you may end up completely wiped out later.
Thatโs why pacing is important.
A BETTER HOUR DOESNโT ALWAYS MEAN YOU HAVE A FULL BATTERY.
๐ฉท ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐งก โค๏ธ
๐ NIGHT โ โWHY IS IT ALL COMING BACK?โ
By evening, youโve used your body all day.
Even ordinary activities have required energy.
Walking.
Standing.
Thinking.
Talking.
Cooking.
Working.
Looking after other people.
Dealing with noise.
Dealing with stress.
And suddenly the pain seems to turn the volume back up.
โHELLO AGAIN!โ
For some people, pain becomes more noticeable at night, especially when theyโre finally still and have fewer distractions.
๐ฉท ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐งก โค๏ธ
๐ WHEN EVERYTHING GOES QUIETโฆ
During the day, your brain has things to concentrate on.
At night?
The house is quiet.
The television is off.
Youโre lying still.
And suddenly you can feel:
EVERY. SINGLE. ACHE.
That doesnโt necessarily mean the pain has suddenly appeared.
You may simply be noticing it more because there are fewer distractions.
And when youโre already exhaustedโฆ
PAIN + FATIGUE + POOR SLEEP = ONE VERY UNHAPPY NIGHT.
๐ฉท ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐งก โค๏ธ
๐ THEN SLEEP BECOMES PART OF THE CYCLE
Hereโs the really frustrating bit.
Pain can interfere with sleep.
Poor sleep can leave you more tired.
Fatigue can make everything feel harder.
And when your body is strugglingโฆ
THE NEXT MORNING STARTS THE CYCLE AGAIN.
Fibromyalgia commonly involves sleep difficulties, and poor-quality sleep can worsen fatigue and other symptoms.
Itโs like your body has accidentally subscribed to:
THE 24-HOUR FIBRO CYCLE.
And nobody remembers signing up.
๐ฉท ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐งก โค๏ธ
๐งก THERE ISNโT ONE โNORMALโ FIBRO DAY
This is important.
Not everyone experiences the same pattern.
Some people hurt most in the morning.
Some hurt more later in the day.
Some experience fluctuating pain throughout the day.
Some have completely unpredictable symptoms.
And your own pattern can change too.
A flare can throw your normal routine straight out the window.
FIBRO DOESNโT READ THE CLOCK.
๐ฉท ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐งก โค๏ธ
๐ WEATHER, STRESS & ACTIVITY CAN JOIN IN TOO
Your pain isnโt necessarily controlled by time alone.
You may notice changes around:
๐ Poor sleep
๐ Stress
๐ Physical activity
๐ Doing too much
๐ Sitting or standing for long periods
๐ Changes in routine
๐ Other symptoms flaring
Which means Monday morning might feel completely different from Saturday morning.
And yesterdayโs pain doesnโt guarantee todayโs pain.
THAT UNPREDICTABILITY IS EXHAUSTING IN ITSELF.
๐ฉท ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐งก โค๏ธ
๐ FIND YOUR OWN PATTERN
One thing that can be genuinely useful is keeping a simple symptom diary.
For a couple of weeks, note:
๐ Morning pain
๐ Afternoon pain
๐ Evening pain
๐ Sleep quality
๐ Activity
๐ Stress
๐ Major symptoms
๐ Any medications or treatments
You may discover:
โOHโฆ MY PAIN ALWAYS SPIKES AFTER I OVERDO IT.โ
Or:
โMY WORST TIME IS ACTUALLY THE EVENING.โ
Knowing your pattern can help you plan your day more realistically.
๐ฉท ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐งก โค๏ธ
๐ป THE TAKEAWAY ๐ป
Fibromyalgia pain doesnโt necessarily stay at one level all day.
Morning may bring stiffness, fatigue and heavy pain.
Afternoon might bring a temporary improvement โ or the consequences of everything youโve already done.
Night can bring increased aches, exhaustion and greater awareness of pain, particularly when youโre finally resting.
And thenโฆ
YOU DO IT ALL AGAIN TOMORROW.
The important thing is learning your own rhythm.
Donโt use a better afternoon as proof that youโre suddenly โbetter.โ
Donโt use a terrible morning as proof that the entire day will be awful.
And donโt feel guilty when your body changes its mind.
YOUR BODY ISNโT BEING DIFFICULT.
Youโre living with a condition that can fluctuate.
Listen.
Pace.
Rest when you need to.
And remember:
YOU DONโT HAVE TO WIN THE WHOLE DAY.
Sometimes you just need to get through the next hour. ๐
๐ฉท ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐งก โค๏ธ
๐ป LETโS TALK ๐ป
WHEN IS YOUR FIBRO PAIN WORST?
MORNING?
AFTERNOON?
NIGHT?
ALL OVER THE BLOODY PLACE?!
Tell us what your typical fibro day feels like.
Because someone reading your answer might finally think:
โOMGโฆ MY BODY DOES THAT TOO!โ
๐ฉท ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐งก โค๏ธ