Poor sleep, migraines, irritable bowel syndrome, restless legs syndrome, and Raynaud's are all part of fibromyalgia syndrome. Several recent studies have found that poor sleep dominated a fibromyalgia patient's life. One of the greatest difficulties experienced was going back to sleep after waking up during the night. Whether sleep problems are the cause or an effect from fibromyalgia, it is important to take precautionary steps to ensure you improve your sleep.
- Take steps to ease any pain before bedtime. This includes pain-reliever gels, painkillers, gentle exercise, or a massage from a partner.
- Keep your bedroom cool. You brain tries to lower you body temperature at night to slow down your metabolism and encourage sleep.
- Block out light. Use dark, heavy curtains. Darkness stimulates the pineal gland in your brain to release melatonin.
- Choose a mattress that give you correct support. If you lie on your back you should be able to slip a hand under your spine. If there's no gap, the mattress is too soft for you. A bed board under the mattress can help. If there's a lot of space, the mattress is too hard.
- Pick a pillow that keeps your spine aligned with your neck. The best pillow thickness for you depends on the width of your shoulders. If your shoulders are narrow choose a flat pillow. If you have broad shoulders you may need two pillows.
- Banish all electronic equipment from the bedroom. Switch all technology off a couple of hours before bed to help you turn your switch off.
- Get outdoors in daylight. Blue light from the clear blue sky is believed to be very beneficial in helping to produce the sleep hormone melatonin at night. Include a walk each day.
- Eat tryptophan-rich foods. Each day include: dairy, chicken, turkey, bananas, dates, rice, oats, wholegrain breads, and cereals. Tryptohphan is an amino acid which helps your body make melatonin.
- Avoid drinking coffee or cola after 4 p.m. Better yet, get used to total elimination from your diet. You can live without it!
- Get Valerian. I always keep the liquid form near my bedside. Just a couple of drops 20 minutes before bedtime often does the trick.
- Don't go to bed hungry or too full. Each of these can promote wakefulness.
- Include exercise time each day. Avoid exercise after 8 p.m. this can raise your body temperature before bedtime promoting wakefulness. Insufficient exercise can cause restlessness and difficulty sleeping.
- Put the day to bed. Develop a routine in the evening which allows you to wind down. This can be reading, watching TV, or listening to a relaxation tape.
- Enjoy a warm bath before bed. Your temperature will rise with the warmth and then fall helping you to drop off. The warmth can also ease muscular and mental tension especially if you had lavender oil.
- Keep a note pad near your bed. Jot down any plans or concerns you have for the next day so that you won't lie awake worrying.
- Have a motto if you wake up thinking. Say to yourself, "You can't do anything right now, so go to sleep and think about it tomorrow."
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