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Treat sleep insomnia
and watch your Fibromyalgia pain decrease!
Fibromyalgia Sleep Problems - Insomnia, sleep apnea, TMJ and
restless syndrome. Discover ways to get the rest you need to decrease symptoms and cure Fibromyalgia. How do
you feel in the morning after sleep? What do you do in your evenings before you go to bed? The habits you
have developed overtime may be part of the reason that you suffer from insomnia, toss and turn during the night, get up repeatedly
and wake feeling fatigued. While certain habits can affect the quality and quantity of your rest, there are also other possible
reasons that can lead to insomnia and non-restorative sleep. Both the quality and quantity of rest that a person receives nightly can be
affected by, as well as affect the symptoms of Fibromyalgia. Muscle and joint pain, overly active mind, restless leg syndrome, and
brainwave irregularities are all common to Fibromyalgia syndrome. They can all lead to insomnia, as well
as other disorders that restrict restorative sleep. Improved nightly restorative rest is essential in improving your
quality of life and decreasing many of the symptoms of Fibromyalgia.
What are you doing to get
a better night's sleep?
The following are some considerations in improving both the quality and quantity of your nightly rest:
Do you
have a regular time to go to bed and get up? If not, you will want to try to set a regular time to retire. Going to bed and
waking up at the same time each day, including weekends and holidays, sets an internal rhythm. Establishing
a regular pattern will help you determine just how many hours YOU need. Most people require 7 - 8 hours
a night to feel rested. Once you determine how many hours you do need, then establish a pattern that supports
that need. What
are you eating and drinking late in the afternoon and evening? Caffeine, nicotine, alcohol or chocolate, all stimulants, taken
in the late afternoon or evening can disturb your ability to sleep. Also, consumption of spicy foods can cause heartburn.
Liquids before bed can wake you up in the night for a trip to the bathroom, disrupting your rest. So watch that late night
snacking and drinking! Are you taking naps during the day? Naps can interfere with your ability to fall and stay asleep.
So, if you absolutely must take a nap during the day, keep it short - no longer that a 20 minute
power nap. In place of a nap, you may want to try a short meditation, or listen to a visualization CD for 10 - 15 minutes. What time are
you exercising? Hopefully, you are not scheduling exercise within 3 hours of bedtime. Rather, schedule your exercise upon rising in the morning or earlier in the day. Evening exercise can
lead to insomnia. Are you relaxed when you go to bed? One of the keys to eliminating insomnia is having an UNDER-stimulated
mind. Create a calming, quiet nightime ritual. Read a book, meditate, listen to soothing music or take
a bath before going to bed. Do quiet activities that calm the mind and spirit. Refrain from heated discussions
or topics that create a strong emotional response. It is time to quiet your mind, not create a stir.
Reduce stress to induce better quality sleep.
Suffering from
Restless Leg Syndrome? After taking a nightly bath (with lavender essential oil and Epsom salts, of course!) spend a few
minutes, while in bed, massaging your lower legs and feet - ending with your feet. This increases circulation
in your muscles and brings the energy from your head, down to your feet. And, remember to eat a banana
early in the day for potassium, take a daily multi-vitamin (quality, of course) and colloidal minerals - all important to
muscle health.
Is your bedroom uncluttered,
dark, quiet and a comfortable temperature?
If not, you will want
to make those adjustments. Reserve your bed and bedroom for sleeping only. Find other locations in the house for activities
such as reading, watching TV or working on a laptop. A cluttered room can reflect a cluttered mind, so
straighten it up. Make sure you have enough bedding to keep you warm during the night. Is that mattress and pillow
working for you or against you? Are they comfortable? Does the pillow support your head and neck? Is
your mattress lumpy like Princess and the Pea, or does it cradle your body? These items can affect your overall comfort during
the night and provide you with the proper support reducing insomnia. If a new mattress is not in the budget, a memory foam
mattress or egg crate foam cover can help reduce pressure on those tender points, such as the the hips and shoulders. Are you waking
with sore muscles in your jaw? Are you grinding your teeth while you sleep? If you are, a visit to your dentist
may be in order. You can be fitted for a night guard for your teeth, that you will wear while in bed at
night. The night guard allows for grinding, but will hold your teeth in position, so they don’t become
loose or break. It will help reduce the TMJ symptom of painful jaw, neck and shoulder muscles. A good nights rest is very important. And what you do during
the evenings and before bed can help or hinder your sleep and your ability to stay asleep.
Download the FREE Sleep
Diary from the FREE worksheet page. Complete it for one week and then determine what habits you have
that are impacting your ability to have a good nights rest. First, your nightime routines are identified. Then
they are linked to how you rested during the night and what symptoms you feel in the morning. Once you have that
information, you can then begin to make the necessary changes in your nightime routines. And with those changes, you can
get a restful restorative nights sleep and be on the road to cure Fibromyalgia!
Check
out the FREE Worksheets page, print them out and get started! The worksheets have been designed especially for you, to
help begin to collect the information and data that will be a valuable assist in helping you to make solid, well-informed
decisions that will help in creating your very own personal Fibromyalgia treatment plan.
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