Are you one of the two percent of the American population that suffers from fatigue, morning stiffness, sleep problems, headaches, numbness in the hands and feet or depression/anxiety?

Fibromyalgia is a confusing illness, in that there isn’t one particular “test” that can be done to diagnose the condition. In fact, the cause of fibromyalgia is still pretty much unknown. But what is known is that some healthy lifestyle changes can help relieve the symptoms.

While exercise is probably not at the top of your list of things to do while you are feeling such overwhelming fatigue, a new study published in the Arthritis Research &Therapy journal has found that taking small steps toward becoming more active can help improve pain and functioning, as long as it is done in moderation.

The overall goal for exercise is to accumulate 30 minutes of activity on most days of the week. But it doesn’t have to all be done at one time to achieve benefits. The study found that two-to-three minute increments over the course of the day can be easily accomplished and can produce some positive health effects. For example, those in the study who increased their average daily steps by just over 50% reported improvements in daily activities of living and 35% less pain.

Exercise has also been shown to relieve other symptoms of fibromyalgia, such as depression, insomnia, and stiffness.

Kevin Fontaine, the study author from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, understands that fibromyalgia symptoms can vary from day to day. He says, “If you are having a bad day, try to do a little bit, and if you’re having a good day, don’t do too much.” He recommends the following six activities to start.

Buy a pedometer, and walk more.

Walking is a total body exercise, and you can moderate the pace and control the intensity, Fontaine says. Wearing a pedometer allows you to easily monitor your progress.

Move about while watching TV.

Raise your arms over your head, or move them from side to side, Fontaine advises. Or sit in a chair and lift your legs one at a time at the knee. (You can always do one of my favorite activities — dance with the kids during a 30-second commercial.)

Take the stairs.

If you work in an office building, take the stairs instead of the elevator once or twice a day, adjusting your routine based on what's easier for your body. "Stairs are one of the more intense daily lifestyle activities," and you can build up your tolerance over time, walking two to three flights after several weeks even if you can't tackle one flight at the beginning, Fontaine says.

Do yardwork or garden.

But make adjustments to fit your needs. If your back tends to bother you, consider sitting on a bench while gardening rather than bending over while standing up. Also, "if you have a big yard and you can't do your whole yard at once, just spend five minutes using the mower" at a time, Fontaine suggests. Instead of doing four hours of outside work at one time, break the task up into pieces—say, 20 minutes at a time three or four times per week until the work is completed.

Do housework — and make it fun.

Turn on music while you vacuum or clean so you move a bit quicker while you work. "Whatever activity you're doing, think of a way to make it a little bit more taxing than it would be otherwise," advises Fontaine. (Dancing fits the bill here too!)

Consider water exercise.

Warm water can be especially therapeutic, Fontaine says. A 2008 study published in Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation found that exercise in a warm pool three times a week for 16 weeks improved many fibromyalgia symptoms in a group of previously unfit women.

If none of these seem to fit your personal lifestyle, Fontaine suggests you find something, and that anything is better than nothing. "The best exercise or lifestyle physical activity is the one that a person can stick with and one that doesn't significantly worsen their symptoms," he says. "The main thing is for people with fibromyalgia to try to do something physical just about every day."

This post was included in the 35th Edition of Baby Boomers Blog Carnival.