Getting Enough Sleep

I can't stress the importance of getting enough sleep each night.  Sleep defines the property of well-being for all fibromyalgia sufferers.   Without this blessed need fulfilled, your waking hours could be filled with unexplained misery.  Gone are the days of multi-tasking into the late night hours.  If things need to be completed, do only what is necessary and ensure you are task free at least an hour before bed.  You need this time to relax and read to ensure a proper night's sleep.  Try to attain at least eight to nine hours of sleep each night.  If you have been sleeping far less before your illness, now is the time to make necessary changes to promote feelings of restfulness. 

WebMD offers the following on helping you attain a good night's rest if you suffer from the aches and pains of fibromyalgia:

What Sleep Problems Are Common With Fibromyalgia?
 
Sleep problems with fibromyalgia include insomnia or difficulty falling asleep as well as
frequent awakening in which you become awake enough to remember them the next
day. An even more common problem is awakenings that you don't remember but that
definitely interrupt your "deep" sleep. Also, other sleep disorders -- such as
restless legs syndrome and sleep apnea -- may be associated with
fibromyalgia.


People with fibromyalgia talk about waking up day after day feeling exhausted
with no energy. Usually, they feel more tired in the morning, and many go back
to sleep during the day to ease their fatigue. Also, it's common for people with
fibromyalgia to have great difficulty concentrating during the day, a condition
called "fibro fog."


Pain or other symptoms of fibromyalgia such as depression and anxiety also
contribute to sleep problems.

Are There Sleep Strategies to Help People With Fibromyalgia?
Establishing better sleep hygiene can help manage the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Improving your sleep
may help decrease your pain, fatigue, and "fibro fog." Try the following
strategies and see if they help your sleep. In addition, ask your doctor about a
sleeping pill that's safe and effective to get your body back on a restful sleep
regimen.
 

• Sleep only as much as needed to feel refreshed and healthy the following
  day, not more. Curtailing the time in bed seems to solidify sleep. Excessively
  long times in bed seem related to fragmented and shallow sleep.


• Keep a sleep diary. Write down how you slept each night and triggers that
  may have interfered with your sleep. Reviewing your notes over several weeks may
  give you insight into your sleep problems.


• Have a regular time to wake up each morning. A regular arousal time helps
  strengthen circadian cycling and leads to regular times of sleep onset.


• Use relaxation therapies. A gentle massage, deep breathing, and other relaxation
  techniques are all potentially beneficial to managing fibromyalgia and boosting restful
  sleep.


• Exercise regularly (but avoid exercising three hours before bedtime).
  Exercise may exert its beneficial effect by promoting better-quality sleep.


• Sound-attenuated bedrooms may help those who must sleep close to noise.
  Occasional loud noises -- for example, aircraft flyovers -- disturb sleep even
  in people who are not awakened and cannot remember them in the morning.


• Avoid long daytime naps. Extensive napping can interfere with nighttime
  sleep.


• Keep the temperature in your room cool. An excessively warm room disturbs
  sleep.


• Hunger may disturb sleep; a light snack of carbohydrates may help
  sleep.


• Avoid caffeine or alcohol in the evening. They both disturb sleep.