Sleep is a might big problem in fibromyalgia. I know, I’ve struggled with it for over 20 years. It’s only in the last few that I’ve started to sleep much better. I can get into the normal levels for deep and REM sleeps most nights and it makes all the difference.
So in this post I want to share some things that might make it easier for you to improve your fibromyalgia sleep.
Please remember I am a patient advocate sharing my experience and research to help you in your journey. It is expected that you will use this as a starting point for your own research and consult with your medical team.
Setting the scene for good sleep starts the morning before, according to neuroscience. Doctor Andrew Huberman recommends getting outside for exposure to natural light. I like the fresh air and calming bird sounds too.
The good old sleep hygiene, which you will have heard touted many times by now, is helpful. But not going to change the game for most insomnia associated with fibromyalgia. You simply want to avoid making it even harder to get to sleep.
Sleep hygiene I find useful includes
- Avoiding caffeine after lunch and limiting how much you have in total.
- No alcohol close to bedtime.
- Pacing well and taking a Yoga Nidra rest (avoiding overtiredness)
- Going to bed and getting up around the same time each day.
- Ensuring your pain is as managed as possible before sleep.
- Setting the scene for sleep with a comfortable bed, darkness, coolness and an eye mask.
Here are some natural sleep aids you can try
- Revitalizing Sleep Formula (an all-in-one herbal mix)
- Other formulas with the herbal sleep remedies such as Valerian root
- Lemon balm
- Recovery Factors supplement (not a sleep aid as such, but helped me with sleep)
- Magnesium
- GABA supplement
- Chamomile tea/extract
- 5-HTP
- Essential oils
This is part of the sleep chapter in my new book. You can preorder it and grab loads of extra goodies now!
Other sleep aids (to discuss with your medical team)
- Melatonin
- CBD oil
- Amitriptyline or another prescribed antidepressant for the sedating effect. (I took it for over a decade and finally was able to come off it once the LDN was helping.)
- Over the counter medicines to help with sleep
- Quetiapine (an atypical antipsychotic which relaxes the nervous system, see more in the chapter about it).
- Pain relief including muscle relaxants
- Temporary use of prescribed sleep aids as prescribed and monitored by your doctor
Here is what I am doing to sleep (mostly) well now
- Slow release paracetamol
- Other pain relief, if needed
- Quetiapine around 9pm
- Low dose Naltrexone 4mg around 9.30pm
- Get ready for bed
- Read
- Do a body scan meditation
- Fall peacefully into sleep
- Get up once or twice
- Wake up nearly feeling refreshed (I don’t judge until I’ve shaken off the sleepiness with my heating pad, toast and cuppa for 15 minutes).
Summary on Fibromyalgia Sleep
I can generally sleep 7-8 hours per night and get into the normal range for deep and REM sleep. I feel clear in my brain in a way I have never felt before. It’s not perfect. And obviously I must do rather a lot to make it work. But it works for me. It doesn’t alleviate the chronic fatigue, but it sure does help me cope better each day. There is a big difference between good sleep and poor sleep.
Hopefully something here inspires you to consider adding to your fibromyalgia sleep routine.
