The Sleep Connection to Fibromyalgia
Since of the most common symptoms of fibromyalgia is dysfunctional sleep those afflicted with the syndrome should try to learn all they can about how to improve their quality of sleep.
The normal pattern of sleep should occur in the following stages:
- Stage 1
- Stage 2
- Stage 3
- Stage 4
- REM (Rapid Eye Movement – the deepest level of sleep)
In the first stage of sleep starts with fast-moving alpha waves, we actually experience these alpha waves when we are still awake. This sleep stage can be described as “dozing” or being “half asleep.” After the first level of sleep is reached, we gradually progress through the other stages until slow delta waves stage is reached; this indicates the deepest level of sleep possible. When a person is able to properly progress through all the stages of sleep until REM sleep is reached and they are able to stay at this stage for a long enough period of time during the night a person should awake in the morning refreshed and ready for the day. Unfortunately, researchers believe that either patients with fibromyalgia do not reach this level of sleep or they do not stay in this state long enough to awaken refreshed and ready to start a new day.
Rather, they experience an assortment of sleep patterns, termed alpha-delta sleep. For them, sleep is not restorative, and they can awaken after a long night feeling as if they hadn’t slept at all.
It is believed that low levels of serotonin may be at least partly responsible for this non-refreshing alpha-delta sleep. Either the person’s body doesn’t make enough serotonin, or her body reabsorbs it before it can do its job. Doctors often prescribe SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) to these patients in an effort to help them hold on to their serotonin and thus experience a better night’s sleep.
Thankfully, for those with fibromyalgia a good night’s sleep isn’t a lost cause. If you find yourself being sleep-challenged, whether it’s because of insomnia, waking up during the night, or just poor sleep quality, consider the following tips to help restore those deep z’s:
- Reduce stimulus before bedtime.
- Avoid things that tend to keep your mind turning the wheels in the middle of the night. Don’t watch disturbing TV shows or movies before bedtime, and try to avoid stressful arguments.
- Get some type of exercise every day, preferably aerobic (for example, walking) just don’t exercise within four hours of going to bed as the adrenaline stimulated by the exercise remains in your bloodstream for several hours and may interfere with your ability to sleep.
-Physically wind down. Perform some gentle stretches, deep breathing exercise, and focus on relaxing your muscles from head to toe.
-Ensure that your pillow and mattress and pillow are giving you the support you need.
-Manage your pain as adequately as you can. If necessary, take medication either over-the-counter or something your doctor has prescribed. Use heat or ice packs where and when needed, or take a hot bath before bed.
Finally, if none of the above suggestions works, seek the advice of a qualified doctor. Your doctor may be able to prescribe you sleep aid. But take caution as some sleep aids may leave you feeling groggy the next day so start with a low dose or try some other methods before resorting to the aid of sleeping pills.