Sleep Disturbances Associated with Fibromyalgia

Sleep disturbances are among the most common symptoms of fibromyalgia, a chronic condition affecting the spinal cord and brain that causes people to feel pain and fatigue, and affects concentration.

In fact, along with the tiredness, pain, and psychosocial distress, sleep disturbances are a core feature. In the last few years, it has become increasingly clear that treating the associated sleep disturbance improves the daytime symptoms of the condition.

Here are eight things you need to know about fibromyalgia and sleep.

1. It is estimated that 2 percent to 10 percent of the population suffers from this painful condition.

2. Three quarters of those with fibromyalgia have sleep complaints. The most common is a feeling of non-refreshing or non-restorative sleep.

3. Insomnia, characterized by an inability to either fall asleep or stay asleep, is very common. Treating the insomnia with cognitive behavioral therapy and good sleep hygiene has been shown to improve symptoms of the condition.

4. People with fibromyalgia show less deep sleep, increased lighter stages of sleep, and more frequent arousals during the night than do others. Many of the newer medications approved for use in these patients, such as pregabalin (Lyrica), work in part by increasing deep sleep.

5. In several studies of normal sleepers, disrupting deep sleep nightly for 7 to 14 days with either noise or awakenings resulted in symptoms indistinguishable from patients with fibromyalgia.

6. The incidence of restless legs syndrome has been found to be in excess of 50 percent of people with fibromyalgia, as opposed to 7% of the general population. Patients experience improvement in their symptoms of fatigue and sleepiness when restless leg syndrome is treated.

7.  The incidence of sleep apnea in fibromyalgia was found to be 61 percent in men and 32 percent in women, according to a 2013 study published in Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology. A particular variant of sleep apnea called upper airway resistance syndrome is very common in women. Treating sleep-disordered breathing improves both pain and fatigue.

8.  Sodium oxybate (Xyrem) is a drug used in narcolepsy that works in part by increasing deep sleep. In 2010 the FDA rejected its use for fibromyalgia as being too risky. It is chemically very similar to the date rape drug GHB and they felt that the risks of wide dissemination outweighed the benefits.

In practice, many patients visit doctors for their associated sleep disturbance. Whether it is insomnia, restless legs syndrome, or sleep apnea, I can say that treating the associated sleep disturbance has a very positive effect on their fibromyalgia. Many doctors see an improvement in fatigue, cognitive function, and pain when the sleep disorder is addressed.

Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.everydayhealth.com

Fibromyalgia is a painful, chronic condition which affects the overall function of the nerves. Along with pain and fatigue, two of the most common symptoms, the condition can also cause sleep disturbances. Among the various known statistics of the condition, treating the symptoms of fibromyalgia can help a person gain back their sleep.

For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .