Fibromyalgia: Getting Past the Fatigue

Often, doctors recommend patients to make certain lifestyle changes that can play an important role in how patients receive their treatments. As many conditions can lead a patient to have other chronic conditions to develop. And, fibromyalgia is not a strange to this.

Fibromyalgia, a condition that describes widespread pain in a patient's body (commonly their joints), can often lead to severe sleep deprivation, or insomnia.  This is due to the intense and sometimes unbearable pain that is associated with the diagnosis. The severity of the pain felt can differ from one patient to another, and it can also dictate whether or not the patient is able to receive a good amount of sleep.

A common symptom with fibromyalgia is insomnia, but this can be reduced through several lifestyle changes and good habits that can help a patient achieve a good night's sleep. The website entitled Fibromyalgia News Today discusses these habits, most of which are very feasible for patients having difficulties with going to sleep at night.  One of the very first recommendations seen in the article includes that a patient should not nap for more than 30 minutes, as this will result in less sleep.

Another key insight mentioned in the article, published by Christine Lynch, was that patients should try their best to stay away from stimulants as their bedtime approaches.  Stimulants, such as caffeine and alcohol, can often continue to process in a patient's body well after they have gone to sleep, resulting in a higher likelihood of a shorter amount of sleep.  According to the Sleep Foundation, consuming said stimulates too close to one’s bedtime specifically affects their second half of sleep.

Some of the other pointers for a better night of sleep for patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia continues along a trend of distinct lifestyle changes.  The changes are often recommended for patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia as it is, with one including the recommendation to exercise regularly.  This piece of advice can often lower the likelihood of swelling in a patient's joints, resulting in a less painful night of sleep.  Along the same lines of healthy routines, the article also stressed the importance of well-kept sleep schedules and routines.  Doing such a thing, as the author says, “tells my mind that it’s time to rest.” 

Lynch also points out that a sound sleeping environment is vital to a good night of sleep for patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia.  She states that, “A cool room is recommended, and I personally require fresh air. I never sleep with the air conditioning or the heat on. I prefer to open the bedroom windows.”  These insights provide important pieces of advice from Lynch, of which has been diagnosed with fibromyalgia since 1990.  For patients experiencing sleep deprivation, her tips could very well improve sleep and even increase one's overall happiness and quality of life.