Do you remember when you were younger and were worried or unhappy about something, you were told that 'you'll feel better after a good nights sleep', 'sleep on it; you'll feel better in the morning' or similar. It is well established that we generally feel at our best after a good nights' sleep, but what happens if sleeping is difficult and we rarely feel refreshed?
Sleep challenges are common in MS with the MS Trust reporting that around 50% of PwMS report some form of sleeping difficulty. Difficulties are usually related to:
Why is sleep important to help manage MS?
Fatigue is a major symptom of MS in its own right, but the sleep we are talking about here is not the crippling fatigue that is often described as 'like constantly wading through concrete'. Fatigue is a huge area of research that I only refer to on this site in terms of how it may be helped using diet and exercise; your doctor and MS nurse are the best people to discuss management strategies with.
Here we are referring to the need for sleep to help manage other aspects of your life (which may also overlap with fatigue). Poor sleep can impact heavily on your daily life which can lead to:
By working out what may be causing your sleep difficulties you can work with your MS nurse to address them.
Possible causes of sleep challenges in MS
Some causes of sleep disturbances may be:
Many of these symptoms relating specifically to MS can be treated or improved with medication, or even altering the time of day that any other medications are taken. Speak with your doctors or MS nurse to find out about options; there are so many things that can help.
Sleep challenges are common in MS with the MS Trust reporting that around 50% of PwMS report some form of sleeping difficulty. Difficulties are usually related to:
- difficulty falling asleep
- difficulty staying asleep; walking up during the night and being unable to quickly fall back to sleep
- waking much earlier than usual
Why is sleep important to help manage MS?
Fatigue is a major symptom of MS in its own right, but the sleep we are talking about here is not the crippling fatigue that is often described as 'like constantly wading through concrete'. Fatigue is a huge area of research that I only refer to on this site in terms of how it may be helped using diet and exercise; your doctor and MS nurse are the best people to discuss management strategies with.
Here we are referring to the need for sleep to help manage other aspects of your life (which may also overlap with fatigue). Poor sleep can impact heavily on your daily life which can lead to:
- daytime sleepiness, affecting concentration
- difficulties with memory
- worsening depression
- low energy levels
- reduced motivation
By working out what may be causing your sleep difficulties you can work with your MS nurse to address them.
Possible causes of sleep challenges in MS
Some causes of sleep disturbances may be:
- muscle spasms
- pain (neuropathic or musculoskeletal)
- restless legs
- anxiety/depression
- side effects of medication
- frequently waking up to use the bathroom in the night (nocturia)
- abnormal pauses in breathing (sleep apnoea)
- high levels of daytime fatigue, making it more difficult to fall asleep
- family responsibilities which leave less time for sleep
- concerns and worries which make it difficult to 'switch off' and fall asleep
- being less active which can disrupt sleep patterns
- less exposure to sunlight; especially if you are unable to spend time outside
Many of these symptoms relating specifically to MS can be treated or improved with medication, or even altering the time of day that any other medications are taken. Speak with your doctors or MS nurse to find out about options; there are so many things that can help.
Sources:
MS Trust (2014) A-Z of MS/sleep
MS Trust (2014) A-Z of MS/sleep
