Fibromyalgia and Sleep Disturbances

Fibromyalgia is a neurological disorder that causes widespread muscle and joint pain, cognitive and memory issues, fatigue, and sleep problems. Among these sleep problems are restless legs syndrome and insomnia.¹

Insomnia is a very common symptom of fibromyalgia. Both disorders can feed into each other. Being in more pain due to fibromyalgia can make it difficult to fall asleep and get restful, restorative sleep. Similarly, not sleeping well or enough can also increase pain and other symptoms of fibromyalgia.

Living with insomnia and fibromyalgia

A vicious cycle occurs when one experiences both insomnia and fibromyalgia. It can be disheartening when a fibro flare happens, and you know that it will inevitably affect sleep as well. Or when one's sleep schedule is disrupted for some reason, and knowing that will exacerbate fibromyalgia symptoms. Since both conditions impact each other, that also means that treatments for either condition can impact the other.

Missing out on deep, restorative sleep

Some data suggests that people with fibromyalgia "experience wakefulness during the non-rapid eye movement (NREM) stages of the sleep cycle and receive less slow-wave sleep as a result.²

This means that people with fibromyalgia are less likely to achieve deep, restorative sleep because of pain and other symptoms. Fibromyalgia is also linked to experiencing daytime fatigue, which can make one more prone to taking naps during the day and ultimately losing sleep during the night.

Daytime napping makes me feel worse

When I wasn't able to sleep at night, I used to end up napping during the day. In my mind, I thought I was catching up on sleep. This sleep, however, was even less restful and restorative and actually ended up making my fibromyalgia symptoms worse, especially the fatigue.

Tips for reducing fibromyalgia symptoms

Some recommendations for reducing fibromyalgia symptoms are regular, light exercises such as walking, or light cardio exercises. Along with taking vitamin D supplements, since those with fibromyalgia are usually deficient in it.^1,3

Another recommendation that is applicable for both insomnia and fibromyalgia is practicing good sleep hygiene. This includes having a set waking and sleeping schedule; only being in bed when it is time to sleep; having a bedtime or nighttime routine; avoiding caffeine, alcohol, and exercise before bed; avoiding naps during the day; and having a dark and comfortable sleeping environment.⁴

And lastly, practicing mindfulness and meditation to get one into a more relaxed and calm state is also recommended for both insomnia and fibromyalgia.⁵

Managing both conditions is an ongoing struggle

Having both conditions is very frustrating. It requires being in tune with your body and needs and maintaining a regular routine and schedule. It basically means having to walk a very thin line to make sure you get enough rest. I struggle a lot with how both conditions impact each other, but I have found that using the recommendations mentioned above has slightly improved sleep for me.

Do you have any conditions that impact your insomnia?