Fibromyalgia: Sleep enhancement for fibromyalgia

By: Thomas K. Van Sistine, MD
January 20, 2000

Unrefreshing or non-restorative sleep is reported in greater than 75% of fibromyalgia patients. One study reported abnormal stage 4 sleep patterns in fibromyalgia patients ³³. Furthermore, clinically induced sleep deprivations can induce a conditions like fibromyalgia in normal adults.

Consequently, much attention has focused on enhancing sleep, particularly stage 4 sleep. Promoting good sleep "hygiene" has become the norm in many journals, especially for fibromyalgia sufferers.

General important sleep habits include:

• Establishing a regular sleep/wake cycle

• Avoidance of caffeine, alcohol and other drugs that may inhibit good sleep

• Minimizing stress is important, and appropriate stress reduction strategies need to be incorporated (such as aerobic fitness)

• When appropriate, medications to enhance sleep may be necessary (such as sedatives/hypnotics).

Thomas K. Van Sistine, MD
January 20, 2000