Todd & Anne's Journey: Turning Pain into Purpose
At Herbal Mana, our motto is simple: Hurt Less – Live More.
But we didn't choose those words because they sounded good on a label. We chose them because pain has a way of shrinking your world if you let it.
The walk gets shorter. The project gets postponed. Sleep becomes something you hope for instead of count on. And before long, you start making decisions based less on what you want to do and more on what you think your body will let you get away with.
Anne and I know that routine pretty well.
I'm Todd. I've had more orthopedic surgeries than most people have pairs of good socks, and there were seasons when nights were especially brutal.
Sleep came in one-hour episodes. Not exactly the kind of series you binge voluntarily.
But one of those difficult seasons eventually led Anne and me to something we never expected: a small breakthrough that would change how we thought about pain—and eventually give Herbal Mana its purpose.
In the video below, we share how that journey started, what those nights were really like, and why one seemingly small win ended up meaning so much.
Prefer to read? Pull up a chair. This is the story of the night that changed the question we were asking—and eventually helped turn pain into purpose.
What We'll Cover
- The Night That Changed Everything
- Why Pain Can Make Sleep Harder
- A Simple Bedtime Routine for Pain Warriors
- What We Built From That Breakthrough
- How Our Topical Routine Has Evolved
- What That Small Win Taught Us
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Research References
The Night That Changed Everything
The story really starts with those long nights.
I'd finally fall asleep, get maybe an hour, and wake up uncomfortable again. Shift positions. Stare at the ceiling. Try again.
Anne eventually looked at the situation and basically said:
"We're not doing this forever."
So she started experimenting with a simple topical cream using ingredients like wintergreen and frankincense and massaged it into my feet before bed.
That first night, I slept for about three hours instead of one.
Three hours of sleep probably isn't earning anybody a trophy. But when you've been sleeping in one-hour increments, three straight hours feels like winning the lottery.
It was a small win. But sometimes that's exactly what you need to start asking a different question.
Instead of, "How am I supposed to keep putting up with this?" we started asking:
"What can we do to make everyday life a little more manageable?"
That question eventually changed a lot more than our bedtime routine.
The small-win version: Nothing was magically fixed that night. But something had finally moved in the right direction. And when you've been hurting for a long time, progress matters.
Why Does Pain Make It Harder to Sleep?
Pain and sleep can feed each other. Discomfort can make it harder to fall asleep or stay asleep, while poor or fragmented sleep may leave you more sensitive to pain the following day.
Anyone who's spent a rough night searching for the one magical sleeping position that doesn't annoy a knee, back, shoulder, or hip probably didn't need a research paper to tell them something was going on.
Still, the research helps explain why those nights matter. A 2024 systematic review found a relationship between sleep problems and chronic musculoskeletal pain, including evidence that the two may influence each other over time.
Read the 2024 systematic review on PubMed.
In plain English: Pain can make sleep harder—and a rough night's sleep can make tomorrow's discomfort feel harder to handle.
That's why those three hours mattered. They didn't solve everything. They simply meant something had finally moved in the right direction.
A Simple Bedtime Routine for Pain Warriors
You don't need a 14-step wellness ritual, a Himalayan singing bowl, and three hours of free time to build a better nighttime routine.
Sometimes simple is better.
1. Warm Things Up
If warmth feels good for what you're dealing with, try a warm shower, heating pad, or warm compress for 5–10 minutes. A little gentle movement can help too. Nothing heroic.
2. Turn the Volume Down
Try a few slow breaths: inhale for four seconds, exhale for six, and repeat five times. While you're at it, remind your shoulders they've been relieved of their responsibility to protect your ears.
3. Start With Clean Skin
If you're using a topical product—especially one containing DMSO—start with clean, dry skin. Wash the application area with ordinary soap and water and dry it thoroughly before use.
Because DMSO can influence how certain compatible substances move through the skin, clean application matters.
Read our complete guide to applying DMSO topically.
4. Apply Your Topical With Intention
Follow the product directions and gently work the topical into the area you're supporting. The goal isn't perfection. It's giving yourself a few minutes to slow down and pay attention to what your body needs.
No pressure. No perfection. Just progress.
If you'd like to see the topical formula we currently use for tired muscles and cranky joints, you can explore Alpha Warrior here.
What We Built From That Breakthrough
That first cream Anne made wasn't Herbal Mana.
Not yet.
It was simply one person trying to help someone she loved feel a little more comfortable.
But that small breakthrough made us realize how many other people were doing exactly what I had been doing: pushing through discomfort, making compromises, and giving up little pieces of the life they enjoyed because hurting had become part of the calculation.
And we thought:
Maybe we can build better tools for people like us.
That's where Herbal Mana began.
Not with the idea that we could magically make pain disappear, but with the belief that people deserved practical tools to support comfort so pain didn't get to make every decision.
That idea eventually became Hurt Less – Live More.
How Our Topical Routine Has Evolved
The cream Anne mixed for me all those years ago was the beginning of the journey. It is not the same formula we make today.
We've learned a lot since then, and our products and formulas have evolved with us.
For everyday muscle soreness, tension, and joint discomfort, one of the products we reach for most often today is Alpha Warrior.
It combines DMSO with ingredients including magnesium chloride, MSM, aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, and a purposeful essential-oil blend.
It's designed for real-life moments: the yard project that ran long, yesterday's workout, the road trip, the golf round, the hike, or the afternoon spent chasing grandkids who apparently have access to unlimited energy.
Real life.
What Is DMSO?
DMSO—short for dimethyl sulfoxide—is well established as a penetration enhancer in topical formulations. That ability to move through the skin is one of the things that first caught our attention years ago.
It isn't a magic wand, and research into DMSO for different kinds of pain and discomfort varies by condition. That's why we think of Alpha Warrior as one tool in a larger toolbox that may also include movement, stretching, sleep, heat or cold, massage, physical therapy, medical care, and knowing when to call it a day.
Want to go deeper? Learn more about what DMSO is and how it works.
What this means for you: Alpha Warrior isn't the cream Anne mixed all those years ago. It's where years of learning, formulation, and real-life experience have taken that original idea today.
See Alpha Warrior's complete ingredients and directions.
What That Small Win Taught Us
Looking back, that three-hour stretch of sleep wasn't important because it was some dramatic miracle.
It mattered because it gave us hope that small changes could make everyday life better.
When you've lived with pain for a while, it's easy to measure success against perfection. Did everything stop hurting? Did I sleep eight perfect hours? Can I do everything I used to do?
We've learned to ask different questions.
Did I sleep a little longer? Could I finish the walk? Spend another hour in the garden? Play with the grandkids? Did discomfort get one less vote today?
Those wins count.
Anne and I didn't set out to start a company. We were trying to solve a problem sitting right in front of us.
Me.
Or, more accurately, me lying awake at 2:00 in the morning wondering how many ceiling tiles we'd need if we ever remodeled.
But that struggle eventually gave us a purpose.
We don't believe there's one magic answer. We believe in building a better toolbox—and using those tools to get back to the things that make life worth living.
The walk. The garden. The golf course. The road trip. The grandkids.
Whatever Live More means to you.
Our straight answer: Pain may be part of your story. But it doesn't deserve to write every chapter.
Ready to Add Another Tool to Your Routine?
If sore muscles, tension, or cranky joints have been getting a little too much say in your plans, take a look at Alpha Warrior.
See what's inside. Read the directions. Decide whether it makes sense for your routine.
Because pain may be part of your story.
But it doesn't get to write the whole thing.
Hurt Less – Live More.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can pain make it harder to sleep?
Pain can make it harder to fall asleep or stay asleep, while disrupted sleep may also leave people more sensitive to discomfort the following day.
Research continues to explore the exact relationship, but sleep problems and chronic musculoskeletal pain appear to be closely connected.
What is DMSO?
DMSO stands for dimethyl sulfoxide. It is well established as a penetration enhancer in topical pharmaceutical formulations, meaning it can help certain compatible substances move through the skin.
Why should skin be clean before using a DMSO product?
Because DMSO can enhance the movement of certain substances through the skin, it's important to begin with clean, dry skin.
Washing away lotion, fragrance, sunscreen, sweat, dirt, and other residue creates a cleaner application environment.
Is Alpha Warrior the same cream Anne originally made for Todd?
No. Anne's original homemade cream was the beginning of the idea, but Herbal Mana's formulas have evolved considerably since then.
Today's Alpha Warrior is a finished DMSO formula that includes magnesium chloride, MSM, aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, essential oils, and other supporting ingredients.
What is Alpha Warrior designed for?
Alpha Warrior is designed as topical support for everyday muscle soreness, tension, and joint discomfort.
It can be worked into a broader comfort routine alongside appropriate movement, rest, stretching, sleep habits, and other tools that make sense for your needs.
Want to Learn More About DMSO?
These Herbal Mana guides may help:
- What Is DMSO?
- How DMSO Works: Exploring the Science
- How to Apply DMSO Topically
- DMSO Learning Resources
- DMSO for Arthritis
Research References
- Runge N, Ahmed I, Saueressig T, et al. “The Bidirectional Relationship Between Sleep Problems and Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis.” Pain. 2024;165(11):2455–2467. PubMed.
- Finan PH, Goodin BR, Smith MT. “The Association of Sleep and Pain: An Update and a Path Forward.” The Journal of Pain. 2013;14(12):1539–1552. PubMed.
- Marren K. “Dimethyl Sulfoxide: An Effective Penetration Enhancer for Topical Administration of NSAIDs.” The Physician and Sportsmedicine. 2011;39(3):75–82. PubMed.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is provided for educational purposes and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition. Results vary. Consult your healthcare professional before use if pregnant, nursing, taking medications, under medical care, or experiencing new, severe, unexplained, or worsening symptoms.