Tri-State Fibromyalgia & CFS Recovery
A support group for those suffering
from fibromyalgia
and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)

Symptoms
Possible Causes
Approaches That May Help
Resources for Recovery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tips for Improving Sleep
by
Jeralyn

I think that my attitude makes a big difference. I have found that the number of hours I sleep doesn't necessarily have an impact on whether or not I am fatigued. I can sleep 12 hours and have the stairs feel like Mount Everest the next day and sleep 4 hours and get through my day just fine. Try to accept that sometimes you will not sleep. Like all the other Fibromyalgia Symptoms, this too will go away one

Specific Suggestions

1. No caffeine 5 hours before going to bed.

2. Minimize carbohydrate intake in the evening

3. Have a time to go to bed and a time to get up. (For me getting up at the same time EVERY DAY is critical.)

4. Create a bedtime ritual starting about 45 minutes before you want to go to sleep.

5. Use your bedroom only for sleeping.

6. Do not do anything in the evening that may stimulate or upset you. (Like open bills in the mail or speak to people about distressing things on the phone.)

7. Accept dozing and light sleep as good enough rest some nights.

8. When you are wide awake and canıt sleep, alternate time of activity and attempts to sleep. For example: 30 minutes in bed trying to sleep and 30 minutes out of bed in a different room doing something that you find peaceful.

9. Regular exercise helps improve my sleep.

10. Find things that bring you comfort, i.e. a special blanket, a sound machine, music, certain TV shows. I love to listen to baseball games. I used to do it as a child sitting in my Grandfatherıs lap. Itıs very comforting to me.

If you still need to do more to get restful sleep, try these things

1. Eliminate Caffeine completely from your diet.

2. Try the low carbohydrate diet as high blood sugar levels can contribute to sleeplessness.

3. Try a Memory Foam Mattress. It is made from the material that the seats in the space shuttle is made from. Your body heat makes the foam form to your body and reduces or eliminates bedtime pain caused by mattress pressure. My mattress is a Remembrance Miracle Foam bed I purchased at Mattress Giant on Concord Pike in Wilmington. This costs about 40% less than the Swedish Tempurpedic Foam mattress. I have had mine for two years and I am extremely happy with it.



Disclaimer: The information herein is by no means intended to take the place of a physician's protocol for his or her patient. Any patient beginning a new treatment should consult and be under the care of a qualified licensed medical professional. Tri-State Fibromyalgia & CFS Recovery, Copyright 2006