Fibromyalgia and Sleep

Sleep helps the body and mind in many ways. When we’re sleeping, our brains are actively working to process the information from the day into our memories, and our bodies are resting and repairing, helping us to feel refreshed and ready for the day ahead.

When suffering from Fibromyalgia, it can be extremely difficult to sleep well, and many people say they feel lucky if they manage even 5 hours. 

The relationship between sleep and fibromyalgia is a complex one. Researchers have not yet fully understood the exact mechanisms that drive this connection, but there are several factors that contribute to the sleep disturbances that fibromyalgia sufferers experience.

1. Sleep Disruption: People with fibromyalgia often have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. The pain and discomfort, coupled with a heightened sensitivity to stimuli (increased sensitivity to touch, for example), can make it challenging to relax and fall asleep. It is common to experience broken sleep, which leads to waking up feeling tired, despite spending enough time in bed.

2. Pain: A hallmark symptom of fibromyalgia. Pain can become more intense at night, exacerbating sleep disturbances. The pain you felt during the day may also have a lingering impact, making it difficult to wind down and fall asleep. 

3. Anxiety and Depression: Fibromyalgia is often associated with mental health as well as physical. Anxiety and depression can disrupt sleep patterns and may lead to insomnia.

4. Other Sleep Disorders: If you suffer from fibromyalgia, you may be more likely to experience sleep disorders such as Obstructive Sleep Apnoea or Restless Leg Syndrome, which can disrupt sleep further. 

5. Medication: Some medications used to manage fibromyalgia symptoms may cause side effects that interfere with sleep. 

Studies have shown that just a few nights of poor sleep can lead to increased pain sensitivity, so if you may find your fibromyalgia pain is worse after a particularly poor night’s sleep. On the other hand however, sleeping well can increase your pain threshold, making pain more bearable in some instances. 

We help people with fibromyalgia to improve their sleep.

Sleep on its own is by no means a cure for fibromyalgia, but we do know that sleeping well can help to reduce pain, improve mental health and improve energy levels. We want to help you to sleep better, so you can enjoy doing the things you love and live a happy, healthy life.

We take a holistic approach to sleep. This means we look at every possible cause for your sleep disruption, and work on each and every one of them to help you in as many ways as possible.

The biggest reason for poor sleep in people with fibromyalgia is pain. Pain makes it difficult to get comfortable, so it can be almost impossible to fall asleep. We designed a mattress topper that relieves pressure across the body, so you can sink into a plush sleep surface, with no painful pressure points. 

The Essential Mattress Topper

Over the past 9 years, we have been researching and developing our products to help people to sleep better, and we have curated a collection of mattresses and toppers to do just that. 

A typical mattress topper is made from foam, but this compresses over time and can get very hot, as there’s no space for airflow. The Essential Mattress Topper is made using award-winning microsprings instead of foam. We chose these springs because they are long-lasting, so even if you spend longer than 8 hours in bed, you won’t find yourself sunken into a body-shaped dip. The microsprings also allow for airflow, which helps to keep you cool on the hottest Summer nights. On top of the microsprings, we add a layer of natural wool. This helps to wick away moisture and adds a plush sleep surface that is a natural alternative to memory foam. 

Exclusive Offer for UK Fibromyalgia Readers

We are delighted to offer you a FREE Sleep Improvement Programme with any purchase of the Essential Mattress Topper. A saving of £195. 

Just add the code UKFIBROMYALGIA at checkout and you will see a free Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia programme will be automatically added for £0.

Keep reading to find out more about our sleep improvement programme, or go to https://sleephubs.com/product/selectus-essential-mattress-topper/ to purchase your mattress topper.

About Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia

Also known as CBT-i, this is an evidence-based treatment recommended as the best starting point to treat insomnia. Traditionally, this would consist of a series of face-to-face sessions in a sleep clinic, helping you to understand and change thoughts and behaviours around sleep. In recent years, digital versions of CBT-i have been created and are proven to have great success in treating insomnia.

At SleepHubs, we combine both a digital and in-person approach to treatment. We have created an online CBT-i programme which can be completed in your own time, from the comfort of your own home, but we also offer 1-2-1 consultations with a dedicated sleep coach to help you through the course. These consultations take place over the phone or Zoom and they give you a chance to speak to a real person about your sleep, which we find leads to bigger improvements. When you purchase a CBT-i programme with us, you will be assigned a dedicated sleep coach who will track your progress and guide you through with 1-2-1 sessions. 

Find out more about CBT-i here: https://sleephubs.com/product/cognitive-behavioural-therapy-for-insomnia/ 

Where to start

The first step to sleeping better is to find out exactly what is causing poor sleep. The SleepHubs Check-Up is a free online questionnaire which analyses your risk of both insomnia and obstructive sleep apnoea (the 2 most common sleep disorders), as well as checking for any other causes such as high stress or chronic pain. 

Take the SleepHubs Check-Up for free now at https://sleephubs.com/sleephubs-check-up to get started on your sleep improvement journey. It takes just a couple of minutes to complete and results are instantly available, so you can get started right away.

Our Top Tips for Better Sleep

1. Resist the afternoon caffeine fix: It takes up to 7 hours to process just half the caffeine from your cup of coffee. We know caffeine keeps us awake, so try to make your last caffeinated drink before 2pm, this way your body has chance to process it before bedtime.

2. Set a bedtime: Try to stick to a routine of going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even at the weekend. This helps to train your body to feel tired and awake at the desired times and can help you to fall asleep faster, sleep for longer, and wake feeling more refreshed.

3. Keep your cool: When you sleep, your body temperature naturally drops. Keeping your bedroom cool (not cold) should help to ease you into a deep sleep. The idea temperature is between 18-21C.

4. Ditch the screens: If you are constantly stimulating the brain with blue light from devices, your are limiting melatonin production (the sleep hormone). Try to switch off and wind-down a few hours before bed - we recommend reading a book or taking a nice warm bath.

For more information about how we can help you to sleep better, visit our website https://sleephubs.com/fibromyalgia-and-sleep/ 

We look forward to helping you on your sleep journey. Don’t forget to use exclusive discount code UKFIBROMYALGIA for a free CBT-i programme with every purchase of the Essential Mattress Topper.

Shop the topper here: https://sleephubs.com/product/selectus-essential-mattress-topper/