7 Interesting Facts About Sleep and Fibromyalgia

Sleep and fibromyalgia go hand in hand and sleep issues are a primary symptom of fibromyalgia.

Those who suffer from fibromyalgia are almost always challenged by not having a good night’s sleep. Based on tests and studies, it has become apparent that if you tackle the issue of sleep disturbance at night that the symptoms of fibromyalgia seem to improve during the day. Here are a few facts you may not know how sleep and fibromyalgia are connected.

FACT 1

70-80% of people who suffer from fibromyalgia also indicate they have issues with sleep. Most people claim they do not feel they’ve had a good nights sleep and feel that any sleep they did have did not help them feel rested or refreshed for the day.

FACT 2

A common complaint with fibromyalgia sufferers is that they have a challenge falling asleep or even staying asleep once they do. This is essentially a description of insomnia, which can be treated with therapy, and has proven to improve fibromyalgia symptoms.

FACT 3

Coupled with insomnia, sleep apnea is a common complaint as well and can be found in 32% of women fibromyalgia patients and 61% of men (according to a 2013 study published in Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology). Women with fibromyalgia actually suffer from a specific type of sleep apnea called ‘upper airway resistance syndrome’. Like insomnia, sleep apnea can be treated to help the breathing during the night and will in turn help with the pain and fatigue for those who suffer from fibromyalgia.

FACT 4

Fibromyalgia isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. It is estimated that about 2-10% of people suffer from fibromyalgia and its variants.

FACT 5

Fibromyalgia sufferers awaken many times during the night, sleep lighter than those who don’t suffer from fibromyalgia and also do not sleep as deeply. There are medications that have been developed and released that help increase the deep sleep cycle of the fibromyalgia sufferer.

FACT 6

There has also been a great increase in restless legs syndrome in those who suffer with fibromyalgia. In fact, only 7% of the population indicate they suffer from the syndrome whereas over 50% of fibromyalgia sufferers claim to have symptoms of restless leg syndrome. Once the syndrome is treated, the fibromyalgia symptoms lessen during the day because of a more restful sleep at night.

FACT 7

There were some studies completed on people who slept normally and what these studies revealed was quite interesting. The studies consisted of disturbing the sleep of a normal sleeper every night from between one week to two weeks. The studies resulted in sleep disturbance symptoms that mirrored those of a person who suffered from fibromyalgia.

Sleep and Fibromyalgia Resources

• Poor sleep tied to widespread pain and fibromyalgia
• Fibromyalgia and Sleep from SleepCare.com
• Sleep Apnea in Patients With Fibromyalgia: A Growing Concern

So, sleep and fibromyalgia are linked. This is good to news as now there is a potential plan of action to help relieve some of the symptoms of those who suffer from fibromyalgia. Do you have some symptoms of sleep and fibromylagia? Please leave them in the comments below…