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Sleep for the Chronically Fatigued

I have learned many things about myself since coming down with fibromyalgia....I too was a ‘Doer’, someone who went like a whirlwind from morning until night. I have had to learn to choose what I give my energy to, and where I will expend it. I have had some good years, and some very difficult years, and thankfully have been in a good time these past months. You mention the aspect of sleep disturbance and fatigue, and asked if I had any tips. To be honest, I have been seeing an excellent rheumatologist who gave me some great tips.

1. Don’t nap during the day! This was really hard for me, because I would be so tired. But he said that because I was sleeping during the day, I often couldn’t sleep at night. So that was the first huge change for me.

2. Exercise daily….I had already been doing this. I walk at least 4 or 5 times per week. At first it was very hard because of the pain, and even now, when I start out some mornings, I am in a lot of pain. But with each step it gets a little bit better, and by the time I get back home, I feel much better. This also makes me more tired physically(and not just mentally) and so I sleep better.

3. Get rid of whatever it is that keeps you awake or wakes you up! He gave examples such as black-out blinds to keep out the morning light, getting rid of the dog or cat that sleep in your bed and wakes you up, or using ear plugs to keep out the noise of your husband snoring. All very practical. Our dog no longer sleeps with us and I now have a set of earplugs always available by the bed. That simple tip has made a huge difference in the amount and quality of the sleep that I get! Try it, and let me know if it makes a difference for you.

4. Try to wind down before going to bed. Because I often feel very tired and nauseous in the mornings, I was doing lots of work and activities in the evenings. The result was that when I went to bed, my body and my mind were still going in a hundred different directions. Consequently it would take me hours to slow down enough to get to sleep. Instead, I now try to limit what work is done in the evenings. I read more, watch less television(which contrary to popular belief does not help us relax!), and spend more time working on creating memory scrapbooks which I can do and relax at the same time.

~Doris Beck graduated from the University of Alberta and has worked for the last 27 years with Campus Crusade for Christ, Canada . In her current role, she coaches the hostesses of the Women Today chat rooms. Doris also travels across the country to speak about God's work in her life and to teach others to share their own stories. She and her husband, Dave, have three grown children.

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