It's like a cruel joke for those of us with fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS) -- we need to sleep well before we can feel better, but we can't get good-quality sleep.
Sleep hygiene is an important key to sleeping better consistently. However, it's not the only key. Ask yourself if you might:
- Be taking medications or supplements that disrupt sleep
- Have an undiagnosed/untreated sleep disorder
- Need better nighttime pain management
- Have negative attitudes toward sleep
If you said "yes" to any of these, you should also read Overcoming Barriers to Sleep With Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Even if you said "no" to all of these, read on to learn how you can get better sleep -- and more of it -- by changing some habits.
Sleep Hygiene
Sleep experts have identified 11 simple ways you can improve your sleep habits. If it all seems overwhelming, pick one or two to start with and then gradually add in the others.
- Get up at the same time every day -- even on weekends.
When you're consistent, your body learns to follow a pattern. It's hard to get up early when you've had a rough night, but if you can muscle through a few difficult mornings, you just might have fewer of those rough nights.
- Make your bedroom cool, dark, quiet and comfortable.
Studies show that a cool environment is more likely to lead to sleep. ("Cool" doesn't mean "cold," which many of us with FMS and ME/CFS have a hard time tolerating.) Eliminating noise and light means getting rid of distractions and disruptions. "Comfortable" applies to your bed, but also to your emotional environment -- try to keep stress out of the bedroom.
- Devote the bedroom to sleeping and sex only.
When you watch TV, use your laptop or play video games in bed, the light from the screens can actually trick your brain into thinking it's time to be awake. Keep them out of the bedroom, and also avoid them for a while before bedtime. Work activities are a no-no as well, as they stimulate your brain and make it harder to relax.
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol or nicotine late in the day.
It's no surprise that the coffee, tea or soda that helps you feel awake during the day can keep you up at night. Be sure to avoid it for at least 6 hours before bed. Nicotine also can disrupt your sleep. Alcohol can make you tired, but it also fragments your sleep and makes your night less restful.
- The danger of naps.
Sleep experts say "don't take naps." For us, especially those with ME/CFS, that's just not realistic. If you tend to have trouble falling asleep at night, avoid naps late in the day. Otherwise, nap when your body tells you to.
- Get some sunlight.
Exposure to natural light helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle. When you're chronically ill, it can be harder to get outside, so try to at least open your curtains and let the sunshine in.
- Exercise regularly, but not within 4 hours of bedtime.
Regular exercise can help you sleep better in general, but remember we're talking about the slow-paced, gentle type of exercise that's good for us and doesn't lead to increased symptoms. If you can handle vigorous exercise or other forms of exertion, do it earlier in the day.
- Have a 15-minute bedtime ritual.
We need to mentally prepare for sleep. Develop a short sleep ritual you can stick to every night that involves quiet, relaxing activities. Appropriate things include reading, listening to relaxing music, meditating or taking a bath.
- If you can't get to sleep, get up!
Tossing and turning, night after night, can make you associate your bed with all the negative emotions associated with not being able to sleep. Instead of lying there worrying about sleep, get out of bed and lie down somewhere else for awhile. Once you're tired enough to sleep, go back to bed.
- Be careful with food and drink close to bedtime.
If you eat late in the evening, you're more likely to get heartburn or acid reflux. Too much to drink can have you up running to the bathroom multiple times. Of course, you don't want to go to bed hungry or thirsty, so if you need to have something close to bedtime try bland food that's less likely to cause heartburn and don't drink very much.
- Make sleep a higher priority than other activities.
Too often, we stay up late trying to get things done that we feel we should have accomplished that day. Remember that a good night's sleep will make you more productive tomorrow, whereas sacrificing sleep today could make you crash for several days. Treat your sleep time like it's the most important part of your schedule and don't put it off for other things.
Source:
National Sleep Foundation. "Ask the Sleep Expert: Sleep Hygiene." Accessed: April 2009.
