Hi everyone,
I happen to drink a cup or two of decaffeinated green tea with a little fat free milk in it & a packet of Splenda to help me relax enough to go to sleep. I also find that reading a book helps me to fall asleep because it never fails, sometimes I only get like 1 1/2 pages read & my eyes start to roll around & that is that, I'm done. Having FMS & ME/CFS has made it so sleeping IS the problem most of the time, not that I can't sleep. I am exhausted from having pain during the day. Pain does wake me up during the night but I take my pills then & I am back to sleep in like an hour. I also find talking about my day or things that are bothering me at the moment, you know, talking things over with my husband helps me to fall asleep too. I guess it is like lifting a worry weight off of me. He always manages to keep e looking on the bright side. (He is such a good man. I am very proud to have him as my husband.)
I happen to sleep 12-14 hours a day & when I am in a flare-up I can sleep almost 20 hours a day at times!!! I really wish I could change this. I feel as though I am sleeping my life away.
So, how is it for you? What do you do to help yourself get to sleep? How many hours of sleep do each of you get at night? I am interested in hearing your replies.
Your friend,
Diana (dfox111)
Discussion Topic
Tips to Get Better Sleep at Night With FMS
Posted on 02/18/09, 04:08 pm
Fibromyalgia Pain at Night
10 Tips for Better Sleep
By Jeanie Lerche DavisWebMD Feature
Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD
Do you toss and turn at night because of fibromyalgia pain or discomfort?
"People with fibromyalgia tend to have very disturbed sleep," says Doris Cope, MD, director of Pain Management at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. "Even if they sleep 10 hours a night, they still feel fatigued, don't feel rested."
Research shows that with fibromyalgia, there is an automatic arousal in the brain during sleep. Frequent disruptions prevent the important restorative processes from occurring. Growth hormone is mostly produced during sleep. Without restorative sleep and the surge of growth hormone, muscles donâ??t heal and neurotransmitters (like the mood chemical serotonin) are not replenished. The lack of a good nightâ??s sleep makes people with fibromyalgia wake up feeling tired and fatigued.
The result: The body can't recuperate from the day's stresses -- all of which overwhelms the system, creating a great sensitivity to pain. Widespread pain, sleep problems, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and memory difficulties are all symptoms of fibromyalgia.
Insomnia takes many forms -- trouble falling asleep, waking up often during the night, having trouble going back to sleep, and waking up too early in the morning. Smoothing out those sleep problems -- and helping people get the deep sleep their bodies need -- helps fibromyalgia pain improve significantly, research shows.
Medications can help enhance sleep and relieve pain. But doctors also advocate lifestyle changes to help sleep come naturally.
Tips to Get Better Sleep With Fibromyalgia
Creating a comfort zone at home is key to better sleep, whether you have fibromyalgia or not. It's all about easing into bedtime feeling relaxed -- and staying relaxed so you sleep through the night.
These 10 tips can help people sleep better:
Enjoy a soothing (warm) bath in the evening.
Brush your body with a loofah or long-handled brush in the bath.
Ease painful tender points with a self-massage device (like a tennis ball).
Do yoga and stretching exercises to relax.
Listen to calming music.
Meditate to tame intrusive thoughts and tension.
Sleep in a darkened room. Try an eye mask if necessary.
Keep the room as quiet as possible (or use a white-noise machine).
Make sure the room temperature is comfortable.
Avoid foods that contain caffeine, including teas, colas, and chocolate.
Therapies to Treat Insomnia When You Have Fibromyalgia
If you're still having sleep problems, several therapies can help, including biofeedback, relaxation training, stress reduction, and cognitive therapy. A psychologist who specializes in sleep disorders can discuss these therapies with you.
The therapies help people handle stress better, which helps control fibromyalgia episodes, Cope says. "Fibromyalgia comes and goes," she tells WebMD. "When you're stressed out, that's when it's worse." That's when you're most likely to have insomnia, too.
Medications can also help ease fibromyalgia pain at night, or directly treat insomnia. Medications to ease fibromyalgia at night include antidepressants, anticonvulsants, prescription pain relievers, and sleep aids.
No one therapy will control fibromyalgia pain 100%, Cope adds.
"Medications help some. Exercise helps some. Stress reduction helps some. Cognitive behavior therapy helps some... If you can get restful sleep, you're going to function better when you're awake."
**The above information thankfully comes from the Fibromyalgia Center at www.webmd.com
What do you do to help yourself sleep better at night due to living with FMS? Do you try various things & still have trouble sleeping anyway? How many hours of sleep do each of you get at night?
Your friend,
Diana (dfox111)
10 Tips for Better Sleep
By Jeanie Lerche DavisWebMD Feature
Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD
Do you toss and turn at night because of fibromyalgia pain or discomfort?
"People with fibromyalgia tend to have very disturbed sleep," says Doris Cope, MD, director of Pain Management at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. "Even if they sleep 10 hours a night, they still feel fatigued, don't feel rested."
Research shows that with fibromyalgia, there is an automatic arousal in the brain during sleep. Frequent disruptions prevent the important restorative processes from occurring. Growth hormone is mostly produced during sleep. Without restorative sleep and the surge of growth hormone, muscles donâ??t heal and neurotransmitters (like the mood chemical serotonin) are not replenished. The lack of a good nightâ??s sleep makes people with fibromyalgia wake up feeling tired and fatigued.
The result: The body can't recuperate from the day's stresses -- all of which overwhelms the system, creating a great sensitivity to pain. Widespread pain, sleep problems, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and memory difficulties are all symptoms of fibromyalgia.
Insomnia takes many forms -- trouble falling asleep, waking up often during the night, having trouble going back to sleep, and waking up too early in the morning. Smoothing out those sleep problems -- and helping people get the deep sleep their bodies need -- helps fibromyalgia pain improve significantly, research shows.
Medications can help enhance sleep and relieve pain. But doctors also advocate lifestyle changes to help sleep come naturally.
Tips to Get Better Sleep With Fibromyalgia
Creating a comfort zone at home is key to better sleep, whether you have fibromyalgia or not. It's all about easing into bedtime feeling relaxed -- and staying relaxed so you sleep through the night.
These 10 tips can help people sleep better:
Enjoy a soothing (warm) bath in the evening.
Brush your body with a loofah or long-handled brush in the bath.
Ease painful tender points with a self-massage device (like a tennis ball).
Do yoga and stretching exercises to relax.
Listen to calming music.
Meditate to tame intrusive thoughts and tension.
Sleep in a darkened room. Try an eye mask if necessary.
Keep the room as quiet as possible (or use a white-noise machine).
Make sure the room temperature is comfortable.
Avoid foods that contain caffeine, including teas, colas, and chocolate.
Therapies to Treat Insomnia When You Have Fibromyalgia
If you're still having sleep problems, several therapies can help, including biofeedback, relaxation training, stress reduction, and cognitive therapy. A psychologist who specializes in sleep disorders can discuss these therapies with you.
The therapies help people handle stress better, which helps control fibromyalgia episodes, Cope says. "Fibromyalgia comes and goes," she tells WebMD. "When you're stressed out, that's when it's worse." That's when you're most likely to have insomnia, too.
Medications can also help ease fibromyalgia pain at night, or directly treat insomnia. Medications to ease fibromyalgia at night include antidepressants, anticonvulsants, prescription pain relievers, and sleep aids.
No one therapy will control fibromyalgia pain 100%, Cope adds.
"Medications help some. Exercise helps some. Stress reduction helps some. Cognitive behavior therapy helps some... If you can get restful sleep, you're going to function better when you're awake."
**The above information thankfully comes from the Fibromyalgia Center at www.webmd.com
What do you do to help yourself sleep better at night due to living with FMS? Do you try various things & still have trouble sleeping anyway? How many hours of sleep do each of you get at night?
Your friend,
Diana (dfox111)
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Reply #1 02/18/09 4:22pm
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Reply #2 03/10/09 1:06am
sometimes I only get a couple hours of sleep , sometimes 29000 hours of sleep n dang I gotta wake up ?lol
my wife gives me massages when she's not in too much pain , it helps me get a relaxin sleep , also a little smoke helps when I can get it, disability doesn't pay much,lol.
the vitamin/herb melatonin helps too.
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Reply #3 03/25/09 8:41pm
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Reply #4 03/25/09 8:45pm
Stress really takes it's toll on me too! I just can't seem to kick the 'worry' syndrome. I used to be able to fight off anything, I have had Fibro for 30+ years and finally REALLY diagnosed a year ago. No wonder people think we are hypochondriacs! I try to get into a sleep pattern, however, it's not working. Pain wakes me up all night with the shooting, tingling, burning of this down my neck and spine. Verdigo is way off and the weather certainly has it's way of telling me it's going to rain, etc. -
Reply #5 06/30/09 3:53am
Sleep and fibro fog are my biggest wars can't sleep at night very well but can fall a sleep during the day. I think a lot of it is medication related. I guess I am used to living with pain but it drains you even to do simple house work. I have never had such a filthy house and live alone. Anyone have any tips about keeping up with housework? A friend of mine who has FMS has hired someone to come in and help her clean I am starting to think the same way. I find I am having more pain since we have had nice weather than I did all winter. Never had any knee pain at all but since the warm weather started so has the pain.
Yes Kc FMS is a mess hard to stick to a regular routine................ -
Reply #6 07/11/09 4:52am
I can't seem to sleep fpr more than a few hours at a time. Lately I have been battleing a lung infection and I am on tons of medication so sleeping a little more. Last night I slept for 6 hours.!! I could not believe it. well tonight is another story cause you see where I am. Miss Mona I know what you mean about your house. I Forget the housework. Close your eyes and just do what you can. It will all still be there tomorrow. I have had to concede to my normal house cleaning methods. I am now happy to just keep the dishwasher going. -
Reply #7 08/27/09 9:50am
I recently began on Ambien - I did not have problems with insomnia (rarely) however I, my whole life, have never been able to wake up in the morninig and could sleep forever - once a day and a half straight. Now, I hope right out of bed, my co-workers say I alook rested, I feel better, and for two days I have awakened to the alarms (plural because I have to set so many - I am 51 and have had Fm since a teen - I now have myofascial pain syndrome and am undergoing dry needling - it is helping I think though torturous - my muscles have been described as steel rods, cement, etc. If this Ambien continues to work, I will be a new person after all this time. Hooray!!!!!
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