Many people with multiple sclerosis will have a variety of different sleeping problems from time to time. The multiple sclerosis sleeping problems they may experience will vary. There are many different types of MS sleeping problems, such as insomnia, broken sleep patterns, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome, and sleep disordered breathing, like sleep apnea. There are many different reasons that people with the chronic neurological disease could experience these sleep problems. For example, people may experience something like broken sleep patterns (waking up several times during the night) because they have incontinence issues due to nervous system damage. They could also have this problem because of issues with pain related to their disease. Restless leg syndrome could also cause people to wake up during the night and interrupt the sleep schedule.
Insomnia could also be related to pain. Someone could have trouble falling asleep if they are in pain. They could also have trouble falling asleep if they are feeling stressed or depressed about living with a chronic disease. If this is the case, it is important to talk to a mental health professional about the situation. They may be able to provide help through a combination of medication and therapy.
Treatment for Multiple Sclerosis Sleeping Problems
There are many different types of treatment available for sleeping problems related to multiple sclerosis. The first step is to see a medical professional for a consultation. Before your visit, it can be beneficial to keep a sleep diary with information about how long you slept, what time you went to bed, what times you woke during the night, what time you got up in the morning, and more. This can give your doctor an idea of a typical night for you. This can help them to assess the situation quickly and get started on recommending a treatment plan for you.
Treatments are usually a combination of traditional medications and alternative treatments. Medications can be prescriptions to be taken before bed to help people sleep. They can help the body and mind to relax. Alternative treatments can be certain activities to help people relax. These can be very important in order to help people reduce sleeping problems. One thing that can be helpful is setting a sleep schedule. This means going to bed the same time every night and following a routine, such as brushing your teeth, washing your face, reading for ten minutes, and then turning off the light. This can help to signal your body that it is now time for sleep.
