Fibromyalgia Flare SOS: The 24-Hour Recovery Plan

Hours 12-24: Stabilization Phase

You're not recovered yet, but you should notice the worst intensity starting to ease. Continue protecting your recovery while beginning to assess what triggered this flare.

Maintain Minimal Activity

Don't celebrate feeling slightly better by jumping back into activities. This is where most people sabotage their recovery. Keep activity at 50% of your baseline or less. You're stabilizing, not recovered.

Continue Sleep Prioritization

Get to bed early even if you napped during the day. Your body is still healing. Quality sleep remains your most important recovery tool for the next several days.

Gentle Self-Massage

If pain has reduced enough, gentle self-massage can help. Use light pressure on tender areas, or try a massage ball or foam roller very gently. Don't push through pain—if it hurts, stop.

Identify the Trigger

Think back to the 24-48 hours before the flare started. Did you overdo activities? Have poor sleep? Face unusual stress? Eat trigger foods? Identifying patterns helps you prevent future flares.