Fibromyalgia patients 'likely to suffer sleep problems'
A new report has suggested that people with fibromyalgia are likely to suffer sleeping problems which can make their symptoms more severe.
Researchers from Indiana University in the US published their findings in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism.
The trial involved 600 patients with fibromyalgia who were assessed for sleep problems at the start of the study and then again one year later.
It was found that 96 per cent of the fibromyalgia patients were classed as 'problem sleepers' at the beginning of the study and 94.7 per cent were still struggling to sleep 12 months later.
It was found that problems with sleep seemed to predict pain and that pain was strongly linked to reduced physical functioning and depression.
As a result, Dr Silvia Bigatti and the rest of the team concluded: "These findings highlight the high prevalence of sleep problems in this population and suggest that they play a critical role in exacerbating fibromyalgia symptoms.
"Furthermore, they support limited existing findings that sleep predicts subsequent pain in this population, but also extend the literature, suggesting that sleep may be related to depression through pain and physical functioning."
A spokesman for the Arthritis Research Campaign said poor sleep was one of the main symptoms of fibromyalgia, also known as chronic widespread pain. The charity is currently conducting a clinical trial to assess the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy and exercise on patients.
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