I wanted to share a bit of information concerning sleeping arrangements when you have fibromyalgia. These are my personal observations over years of trial and error. Lots and lots of errors… Foam Mattress: We swapped a top-of-the-line premium spring mattress for a new “memory foam” mattress. Some of these mattresses have separate zippered compartments for the foam layers — which means you can refresh or replace the top foam sections without buying a new bed. I recommend purchasing a mattress cover, which is essential to keep the foam breathing, clean and dry. The foam mattress seems to be warmer by about one blanket’s worth, so take that into account, although the new gel foam is supposed to alleviate this. Our foam mattress has greatly relieved the pain caused by “pressure points” where your body touches the mattress. Bed Rail: I use the Stander Bed Rail Advantage Traveler. Very helpful for getting into and out of bed when my muscles are protesting, and helps to change positions in bed, or if I wake up a bit unbalanced in the mornings.
Mine is U-shaped and has pockets for odds-n-ends. Sheets: Depends on your perception of softness. Bamboo fabric sheets seem to work for us. We tried satin, but didn’t like the slipperiness. Flannel is soft, but tends to grab the fabric of my PJs, making moving around in bed difficult. Body Pillows: I have a Comfort U Total Body Support Pillow, a U-shaped body pillow. For one thing, it’s one of the few that is large and long enough for a man. Many body pillows are designed for women, and are too short or too thin. The body pillow allows me to keep my limbs separated, and at proper heights to reduce pain. The U-shape means I can roll over without having to move my pillow. I ended up stuffing some extra pillow filling into mine so it was firmer and tall enough for my shoulders. Make sure you get extra pillow cases… My new favorite is Embrace Memory Foam Body Pillow from Sleep Innovations, a straight body pillow that is very deep. Great if you have wide shoulders. It also is very heavy, and has a central core of memory foam.
I actually use two of these, setting them in a T arrangement. They do hold the heat, so summer use may not be so pleasant. Heated mattress pad: The ability to warm up the mattress before you climb in, or to have soft heat relaxing your muscles is wonderful. In the morning, I can get my muscles warmed up before leaving bed. We use a three-zone pad, so you can warm just your feet, your hips, or your upper body, or any combination. I use the Sunbeam Therapeutic heated mattress pad. The premium choice seems to be a mattress pad called a Chilipad. It uses a refrigerator-type device to pump warm or cool water through tiny tubes in the mattress pad. Sleepwear: If you need the softest material possible, try the “bamboo viscose” type of clothing. Also, I’ve found that bamboo fabrics that include a percentage of cotton tend to be less clingy. In my opinion, the ultimate soft PJs for painful, itchy skin can be found at this store: Bamboo Buddy in Australia. They do ship worldwide.
For hot, sweaty nights, there are some new “instadry” fabrics for men. InstaDry Tee and Pants Pajama Set are my favorite summer PJ’s. I own four pairs, and have used them for years. A bit breezy for cold weather use, however. Sound Machine: It’s important to create a proper sleeping environment. I’ve found that a sound machine can provide a consistent noise source to block out distractions (and neighbors). After using one for a while, you may find the noise triggers a drowsy feeling. No one sound works for everyone. The more modern rendition of a sound machine is any of the apps available for your smartphone. However, a dedicated sound machine is often more convenient than using your phone every night. Sound quality will certainly be better. Light and sound machines: For those who want to relax before bed and like to experiment with cutting edge ideas, you might want to look into these L&S Machines. They are basically for “training your brain” to produce the proper brain-waves for various activities, especially relaxing and sleep.
I’ve had some real success with these devices, but I find it difficult to set aside the time on a regular basis. Tablet Use: For using your tablet in bed, holding your arms out isn’t always the best with fibro. For me, a tablet stand makes things much more comfortable. Also wonderful if I am stuck in bed for any reason… The links to websites are included as examples of the types of products available. Please look around, check out the prices and various types of products before making up your mind. My goal is to minimize my discomfort and frustration in my environment. I hope you will find some of these solutions useful or at least thought-provoking. Comments or opinions on products you’ve found are appreciated. Editor’s note: Any medical information included is based on a personal experience. For questions or concerns regarding health, please consult a doctor or medical professional. We want to hear your story. Become a Mighty contributor here.Fibromyalgia is a musculoskeletal condition that results in joint pain and fatigue at several points in the body, plus can lead to chronic fatigue.
There are more than 12 million fibromyalgia cases in the United States. The majority of fibromyalgia cases are women, who are 10 times more likely to get the disease than men. It usually manifests anywhere from age 25 to 60 and there is no known cure. Scientists aren’t sure what causes fibromyalgia, but it has been linked to a combination of genetics and environmental stresses. The disease does run in families, hinting at a genetic component that may point to certain predisposed sensitivities. Certain illnesses and infections are also connected to fibromyalgia, as is certain kinds of physical or emotional stress. The risk factors in developing the disease include the sex of the patient, family history and a history of certain diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. Because the symptoms of fibromyalgia are similar to other conditions, it is often difficult to diagnose at first. Symptoms include deep muscle and joint pain, stiffness, anxiety, fatigue and insomnia. Common pain centers include the neck, shoulder, hips, back and knees.
People who suffer from fibromyalgia manage pain via medication and pressure relief to get the deep, healing sleep they need because they are so sensitive to any level of presssure, especially when lying down or sleeping. Those with fibromyalgia struggle with getting enough restful sleep due to the chronic pain they endure. Because sleep is such an important time for the body to relax and repair itself, it’s important for those with fibromyalgia to do everything they can to ensure the best sleeping conditions possible. The wrong mattress, for example, can contribute to sleepless nights and won’t offer much relief from pain. Because of the specific type of joint pain that fibromyalgia causes, it’s important for people to choose a mattress that is designed to relieve the pressure on muscles and joints in order to ease that pain. When a mattress is too soft or doesn’t support the body in all the right places, the body sinks down into the mattress and stresses the joints, amplifying the pain.
A mattress designed specifically for comfort and support eases the pressure and helps relieve the pain. Our Gel Matrix mattresses are uniquely designed to help sufferers of Fibromyalgia better than any other bed. The key is the Gel Matrix. You can see in this image how the Gel Matrix reduces pressure better than any of the other leading national mattress brands: In this image, the red spots are areas where pressure is building up – which is painful and causes tossing and turning at night – especially for sufferers of Fibromyalgia. However, the best bed for Fibromyalgia will also provide support needed to keep your spine aligned. Our bed is uniquely engineered to provide you this support better than any other mattress on the market today. Because our mattress is made with patented Gel Matrix formed in a unique honey-combed shape our beds have the ability to not only sense your pressure points and redistribute that pressure for comfort purposes, but the gel has the ability to ‘push back’ and support your entire body properly at the same time.