Stuck in the Fibromyalgia Pain-Sleep Cycle? Here’s How to Break It
Fibromyalgia symptoms, including pain, can make restful sleep feel out of reach. In fact, 90 percent of people with fibromyalgia experience sleep disturbances, from difficulty dozing off to fragmented sleep. And poor sleep is associated with worsened symptoms.
“Sleep is important to restore the body, but also to clear waste in the brain,” says Brian Koo, MD, a neurologist and assistant professor of neurology at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. People dealing with fibromyalgia pain tend to spend less time in deep sleep and rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep, though, which are the more restorative sleep phases that aid in healing and memory consolidation.Many people with chronic pain experience something called alpha-delta sleep, in which slow brain waves are disrupted by faster activity, says Ira Chang, MD, a neurologist at HCA HealthONE in Englewood, Colorado. “This sleep pattern is associated with a sense of nonrestoration.”
In other words, pain can make sleep less restful and not as refreshing.
How a Lack of Sleep Affects Fibromyalgia Pain
A good night’s sleep not only gives you energy, but also has an impact on inflammation and pain sensitivity. Sleep acts as a natural anti-inflammatory, Dr. Koo explains, so when you don’t get enough restorative sleep and wake up feeling unrefreshed, inflammation and pain can persist.
Many people with chronic pain experience something called alpha-delta sleep, in which slow brain waves are disrupted by faster activity, says Ira Chang, MD, a neurologist at HCA HealthONE in Englewood, Colorado. “This sleep pattern is associated with a sense of nonrestoration.”
In other words, pain can make sleep less restful and not as refreshing.
How a Lack of Sleep Affects Fibromyalgia Pain
A good night’s sleep not only gives you energy, but also has an impact on inflammation and pain sensitivity. Sleep acts as a natural anti-inflammatory, Dr. Koo explains, so when you don’t get enough restorative sleep and wake up feeling unrefreshed, inflammation and pain can persist.
Poor-quality sleep also heightens pain sensitivity by impairing pain-inhibition pathways in the central nervous system, making the pain you feel even more debilitating after a night of poor sleep. Pain itself can also make it harder to fall and stay asleep, creating a relentless cycle: Poor sleep exacerbates pain, and pain makes it more difficult to sleep.
Steps to Ease Pain Before Bedtime
It may feel impossible to break out of this pain-sleep cycle, but there are small — even enjoyable — steps you can take to ease fibromyalgia symptoms and set your mind and body up for restorative rest.Create a Calming Environment (and Routine)
It’s especially important for people with fibromyalgia to set the stage for sleep, dimming the lights, keeping the bedroom quiet, and limiting screen time close to bedtime to help the nervous system settle down. Hypersensitivity to light, noise, or touch is more common in people with fibromyalgia than in people with other types of chronic pain.
Spending the last 30 to 60 minutes before shut-eye doing calming activities — such as listening to soothing music or reading — can also help you wind down and send a clear signal to your brain that it’s time to rest.
Warm Up for Comfort
Try taking a hot bath or using a heating pad to help relax stiff or achy muscles as you prepare for sleep. A heated blanket or mattress cover and warm, thick socks can also be a comfy combo on colder nights.
Try a Simple Relaxation Practice
Even a few minutes of these relaxation practices can help you shift into a more restful state before bed.
These steps should help ease pain and promote high-quality sleep, but if you’re still waking up not feeling refreshed, talk with your care team. They may be able to recommend sleep medications, tests for sleep disorders (such as sleep apnea, which is common in people with fibromyalgia) or other strategies for improving your shut-eye
Live a Full Life With Fibromyalgia
Stuck in the Fibromyalgia Pain-Sleep Cycle? Here’s How to Break It
How a Lack of Sleep Affects Fibromyalgia Pain
Steps to Ease Pain Before Bedtime
Fibromyalgia symptoms, including pain, can make restful sleep feel out of reach. In fact, 90 percent of people with fibromyalgia experience sleep disturbances, from difficulty dozing off to fragmented sleep. And poor sleep is associated with worsened symptoms.
“Sleep is important to restore the body, but also to clear waste in the brain,” says Brian Koo, MD, a neurologist and assistant professor of neurology at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. People dealing with fibromyalgia pain tend to spend less time in deep sleep and rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep, though, which are the more restorative sleep phases that aid in healing and memory consolidation.
Many people with chronic pain experience something called alpha-delta sleep, in which slow brain waves are disrupted by faster activity, says Ira Chang, MD, a neurologist at HCA HealthONE in Englewood, Colorado. “This sleep pattern is associated with a sense of nonrestoration.”
In other words, pain can make sleep less restful and not as refreshing.
How a Lack of Sleep Affects Fibromyalgia Pain
A good night’s sleep not only gives you energy, but also has an impact on inflammation and pain sensitivity. Sleep acts as a natural anti-inflammatory, Dr. Koo explains, so when you don’t get enough restorative sleep and wake up feeling unrefreshed, inflammation and pain can persist.
Poor-quality sleep also heightens pain sensitivity by impairing pain-inhibition pathways in the central nervous system, making the pain you feel even more debilitating after a night of poor sleep. Pain itself can also make it harder to fall and stay asleep, creating a relentless cycle: Poor sleep exacerbates pain, and pain makes it more difficult to sleep.
Steps to Ease Pain Before Bedtime
It may feel impossible to break out of this pain-sleep cycle, but there are small — even enjoyable — steps you can take to ease fibromyalgia symptoms and set your mind and body up for restorative rest.
Create a Calming Environment (and Routine)
It’s especially important for people with fibromyalgia to set the stage for sleep, dimming the lights, keeping the bedroom quiet, and limiting screen time close to bedtime to help the nervous system settle down. Hypersensitivity to light, noise, or touch is more common in people with fibromyalgia than in people with other types of chronic pain.
Spending the last 30 to 60 minutes before shut-eye doing calming activities — such as listening to soothing music or reading — can also help you wind down and send a clear signal to your brain that it’s time to rest.
Warm Up for Comfort
Heat can be especially soothing for pain, according to the American Fibromyalgia Syndrome Association.[3] Try taking a hot bath or using a heating pad to help relax stiff or achy muscles as you prepare for sleep. A heated blanket or mattress cover and warm, thick socks can also be a comfy combo on colder nights.
Go for Softness
Many people with fibromyalgia prefer a soft mattress over a firm one, as it helps ease sore muscles, joints, and tender points.[3] If a new mattress isn’t in your budget, consider investing in a comfortable, cushiony mattress topper to improve nighttime comfort. If you are one of the many people living with fibromyalgia who also has a skin condition, it may help to check your bedding to make sure the fabric isn’t worsening any itch.[4]
Try a Simple Relaxation Practice
Mind-body techniques — slow breathing, meditation, guided imagery, or progressive muscle relaxation, in which you release different muscles in your body one at a time — can help quiet the mind and reduce the perception of pain.[5] Even a few minutes of these relaxation practices can help you shift into a more restful state before bed.
These steps should help ease pain and promote high-quality sleep, but if you’re still waking up not feeling refreshed, talk with your care team. They may be able to recommend sleep medications, tests for sleep disorders (such as sleep apnea, which is common in people with fibromyalgia) or other strategies for improving your shut-eye.
The Takeaway
Fibromyalgia not only causes physical discomfort, but also disrupts the restorative sleep your body relies on, creating a cycle that can intensify both issues.
Calming routines, gentle movement, reduced stimulation, and relaxation practices can help your body and brain prep for more restful sleep.
If nighttime pain or poor sleep persists, your care team can help you explore additional options and identify underlying sleep issues that may be contributing to symptoms.
