One of the most frustrating parts about managing fibromyalgia symptoms is sleep. It’s the most basic necessity needed for the body to truly rest, restore, and heal. However, pain levels and other symptoms prevent us from getting the proper sleep. And it’s not about the amount of sleep, but more importantly the type of sleep.
Quality of sleep is a type of sleep. For example, restful or restless.
The quantity of sleep is the amount of sleep. Both work together for restorative sleep leaving you to feel well-rested the next day.
Here are some tips for getting the sleep you need from various articles around the web.
Tips for Better Sleep
When pain levels are high, it’s hard to sleep; however, when we don’t get restful sleep, our pain levels become higher. This is known as the pain-sleep cycle and it’s a common occurrence with fibromyalgia. After some research, I compiled a list of tips for better sleep so you can break the sleep-pain cycle.
Natural Sleep Remedies for Fibro
“Treating sleep problems is an important part of easing fibromyalgia symptoms. Left untreated, sleep disorders can significantly affect your health. Here are some medicinal herbs and natural supplements that may help improve sleep for people with fibromyalgia.”
200+ Sleep Tips from 67 Health Professionals
“The contributors to this roundup approached the problem from many different perspectives: nutrition, sleeping environment (the mattress, the pillow, the room temperature), sleep schedule, use of technology, and others.”
Fibromyalgia Sleep-Wake Cycle
If you live with fibromyalgia, then you have heard of the cliche that in order to have less pain, you need more sleep. As someone living with fibromyalgia, getting any sleep is difficult for someone suffering from chronic pain. If you need more sleep, there are ways to break the crazy chaos and establish a healthy sleep-wake cycle.
Routines Affect Sleep
Keeping a routine also helps with transitioning from wake to sleep. Routines are more beneficial when living with a chronic illness. It’s like having a schedule, but without time constraints. Routines have the same benefits, but with the added freedom of when you do those tasks. Having a routine will also help you get more quality sleep which is essential in living with a chronic illness. It will also help you remember to take supplements or medication as well as stretch or go to bed around the same time each night.
A Natural Remedy Plan for Chronic Pain
Certain foods will help you better sleep. Finding an effective treatment regimen and natural sleep remedies will help you get the sleep you need as well.