PreviousNext Fibromyalgia and YouMany of us have trouble getting out of bed in the morning. And when you have the chronic and painful condition known as fibromyalgia, you can multiply that morning pain and morning stiffness several times over. “People with fibromyalgia suffer from non-restorative sleep. This means they can sleep a full eight to nine hours, but still wake up feeling as if they haven’t slept,” says Nathan Wei, MD, a rheumatologist and director of the Arthritis Treatment Center in Frederick, Md. “In addition, fibromyalgia patients also suffer from stiffness and pain, which makes movement uncomfortable in the morning.” Try the following tips to help soothe fibromyalgia pain and ease into your day. Take a Warm Shower or BathOne of the quickest and easiest things you can do to lessen morning pain, stiffness, and other symptoms of fibromyalgia is harness the healing power of water. “Warm showers or baths at bedtime and in the morning will help to relax muscles, and offer a fair amount of relief,” says Nicholas P. Scarpa, MD, a rheumatologist and medical director of the Arthritis Center of New Jersey.
“Stay in the warm water for at least 10 minutes to obtain maximum relaxation.” Avoid Caffeine, Alcohol, and NicotineThinking about a nightcap, a smoke, or a cup of coffee before bed? Caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine can disrupt restful sleep, which can make pain and morning stiffness even worse the morning after. “Many experts agree that caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol will exacerbate fibromyalgia symptoms due to their stimulatory effects on the body, especially if consumed just prior to sleep,” says Dr. Scarpa. “These should be avoided or ceased as much as possible.” Practice Healthy Sleep HabitsScarpa believes that getting a good night’s sleep might be the most important step in minimizing morning pain and stiffness for fibromyalgia patients. “Some tips to consider to achieve longer and ‘better’ sleep include not watching TV or doing work in the bedroom at night,” he says. Also, he adds, be sure to keep your bedroom temperature at a comfortable level — a room that's too cold will increase stiffness, and one that's too warm can cause muscle aches and increased pain.
Other tips: "Exercising during the day will increase restful sleep at night. Finally, do not sleep during the day.” Stick to a Set Sleep ScheduleWhether you have fibromyalgia or not, experts recommend setting a sleep schedule and trying to stick to it as much as possible. “The body likes routine, and going to bed and waking up at the same time each day helps to create this pattern and can improve sleep quality,” says Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, director of the Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers and author of Pain Free 1-2-3: A Proven Program for Eliminating Chronic Pain Now. “On the other hand, especially with the sleep disruption seen in fibromyalgia, this is not always possible. Because of this, people need to see what works best for them.” Consider MelatoninThis natural supplement has helped many people with fibromyalgia pain get a good night’s sleep. “Melatonin is available over the counter and has been shown to improve the sleep hygiene in people who suffer from fibromyalgia,” says Bradley W. Carpentier, MD, a pain specialist in private practice in Austin, Texas.
“You can enhance your natural melatonin production by being outside in sunlight during the daytime. This helps to regularize the normal secretion of melatonin.” Try a Morning Self-MassageGently rubbing your own shoulders, neck, arms, and back first thing in the morning before you get out of bed might help loosen your muscles and make you feel more limber, easing morning stiffness and pain. Sheldon Solomon, MD, a rheumatologist with Arthritis, Rheumatic & Back Disease Associates in New Jersey, suggests trying this after you take a hot shower or bath in the morning for the greatest impact on fibromyalgia pain. Give Tai Chi or Yoga a TryScarpa suggests incorporating either or both of these ancient stretching exercises into your morning routine to reduce morning pain related to fibromyalgia. “Physical stretching exercises such as yoga and tai chi in the morning as a routine will also help to minimize morning stiffness,” he says. Sign Up for Our Living with Chronic Pain NewsletterThanks for signing up!
Sign up for more FREE Everyday Health newsletters.SubmitWe respect your privacy.The Best Mattresses for People With ArthritisLeg cramps at night are common. And it's important to make a distinction between leg cramps causes and other causes of leg pain at night. Because there are several conditions that can cause leg pain at The cramp, or charley horse, is due to the muscle contracting (shortening and tightening) in a sudden and violent way. leg cramps usually occur in the calf muscle. But foot and leg cramps do happen at night also. Cramps in the thighs are less common. One main reason for the pain is because blood flow to the muscleWaste products also build up within the muscle tissue. The underlying causes of leg cramps are unknown. However, here are nine possible suspects: One of the side effects of taking statins is muscle aches in the legs. Technically, these are not leg cramps. However, if you take statins, you should be aware that studies show
that statin use lowers levels of the nutrient Coenzyme Q10 (abbreviated as CoQ10). the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology showed that statins reduce CoQ10 levels by up to 40%!This is very important because lower levels of CoQ10 may create pain or cramps in the legLike a lot of things in medicine, the studies are conflicting on thisI don’t take statins. However, I occasionally like to take CoQ10 for a heart boost. I’ve been reading about this nutrient for years. The Coenzyme Q10 Phenomenon by clinical cardiologist Stephen T. Sinatra, M.D. several years ago really peaked my interest. This book, although several years old, is an excellent overview of why CoQ10 is so important for many health conditions, especially heart health. I got my copy from Amazon. If you’re interested, you can read about it here. Supplementing with a dose of 50 mg twice daily of CoQ10 for 30 days may be beneficial to you if you are having muscle pain from
Certainly something to discuss with your doctor. Below I’ve provided a link in reference #5 you can click on to see a good study on taking CoQ10 for muscle pain. The point is, if you do take statins, you really need to read up on the statin and CoQ10 connection. you medical information on this topic. Here’s something else to be aware of: There are a few studies showing that 100 mg of CoQ10 taken in the evening may cause insomnia. why I always take my CoQ10 in the morning after breakfast. be taken with meals. Here is the CoQ10 I like to take because I’ve been a vegetarian for forty years. There are all kinds of CoQ10 products on Amazon. Poke around Amazon and find one you like. Another thing to keep in mind: Some studies show that CoQ10 can lower blood pressure a little bit. So it’s a good idea to monitor your blood pressure if you’re taking blood pressure medications. has a wide variety of products for leg cramps.
are creams, some are homeopathic pills. In my article about homeopathic sleep aids, I wrote about my skepticism of homeopathy. Yet, surprisingly, many people find relief with this form of treatment. So who am I to say? I do know leg cramps hurt like heck so you may want to give these pills a try. Here's a link to one of the more popular homeopathic leg cramps products on Amazon. I do hope it helps you. I hate it when I get leg cramps at night in my legs or feet. So I hope the other articles I wrote below are helpful to you. Nocturnal Leg Cramps: Can They Be Prevented? Leg Pain at Night: 16 Lower Leg Cramps Treatment Options Night Leg Cramps Treatments: 6 More Options Stop Leg Cramps at Night! My Final Five Leg Cramp Relief Options What is Restless Leg Syndrome? 19 Restless Leg Syndrome Symptoms Return to Sleep Disorders Home Page Evidence of plasma CoQ10-lowering effect by HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.