Fibromyalgia/CFS

Will Better Sleep Help You with Your Chronic Pain?

Are you getting enough Sleep?

Studies show that if you are suffering with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)  and other Autoimmune diseases, you may not be getting enough sleep, or good quality sleep, which can make your systems and pain worse.

For people with fibromyalgia, the combination of pain and sleep disturbance is a double-edged sword: the pain makes sleep more difficult and sleep deprivation exacerbates pain. The good news is that reduction in sleep disturbance is usually followed by improvement in pain symptoms. This also highlights the importance of healthy sleep and access to sleep specialists in treating this disease.

At some time, most of us have experienced what it’s like to have trouble falling asleep, to lie awake in the middle of the night, or feel sleepy and fatigued during the day. However, when sleep problems are a regular occurrence—when they get in the way of your daily routine and hamper your ability to function—you may be suffering from a sleep disorder.

Sleep disorders and other sleeping problems cause more than just sleepiness. Poor quality sleep can have a negative impact on your energy, emotional balance, productivity, and health. If you’re experiencing sleeping problems,  learn about the signs and symptoms of common sleep disorders, what you can do to help yourself, and when to see a doctor.

Understanding sleep disorders and sleeping problems
Sleep can often be a barometer of your overall health. In many cases, people in good health tend to sleep well, whereas repeated sleeping problems may indicate an underlying medical or mental health problem, be it minor or serious. Sleeping well is essential to your physical health and emotional well-being. Unfortunately, even minimal sleep loss can take a toll on your mood, energy, efficiency, and ability to handle stress. Ignoring sleep problems and disorders can lead to poor health, accidents, impaired job performance, and relationship stress. If you want to feel your best, stay healthy, and perform up to your potential, sleep is a necessity, not a luxury.

It’s not normal to feel sleepy during the day, to have problems getting to sleep at night, or to wake up feeling unrefreshed.
But even if you’ve struggled with sleep problems for so long that it does seem normal, you can learn to sleep better. You can start by tracking your symptoms and sleep patterns, and then making healthy changes to your daytime habits and bedtime routine. If self-help doesn’t do the trick, you can turn to sleep specialists who are trained in sleep medicine. Together, you can identify the underlying causes of your sleeping problem and find ways to improve your sleep and quality of life.

Signs and symptoms of sleep disorders and sleeping problems
Everyone experiences occasional sleeping problems. So how do you tell whether your sleeping problem is just a minor, passing annoyance or a sign of a more serious sleep disorder or underlying medical condition?

Start by scrutinizing your symptoms, looking especially for the telltale daytime signs of sleep deprivation. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms on a regular basis, you may be dealing with a sleep disorder.  Read More!