How much sleep

noeltone
noeltone Member Posts: 878
edited 17. Jun 2009, 08:29 in Living with Arthritis archive
Interested to know how much sleep peeps have albeit it unbroken or broken with arthur pain. I had last night 10 hours and still I wake up dog tired and I slept right thru and sometimes power nap during the day and mostly feel quite groggy

Comments

  • topgirl
    topgirl Member Posts: 290
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I have RA too....
    I know what you mean about sleep...I am always groggy....and i get lots of sleep at night( if i take painkillers) but yes, if im not in work i have a power nap too..oh and nodded of at work too...I think its part of the symptoms! :shock:
  • sassysore
    sassysore Member Posts: 17
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    This is a sore subject for me. I take 90mg zomorph twice a day, plus paracetamol, duloxetine, methocarbamol and a anti histamine. I used to be able to get maybe 3 hours of sleep a night, all be it broken, but now I seem to be surviving on less than an hour a night. Some nights I dont sleep at all. Dr doesnt seem bothered and I am at the end of my tether with it. So tired all the time and it makes me shaky as well.
  • ninakang
    ninakang Member Posts: 1,367
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I have been told that fatigue and general tiredness is a symptom of RA (not sure about other types of Arthur) but then so is an inability to sleep?!

    I get about 8-9 hours of sleep at night if I'm not in pain. If I do hurt (tends to be in different places, these last couple of days has been my knees, feet and my shoulders) then it's a lot less because I'm so restless.

    If I can't sleep, I tend to get up, go downstairs and make myself a drink. We have hundreds of DVDs so I get comfy and take my mind off the pain. Works for me :-)

    Nx
  • elnafinn
    elnafinn Member Posts: 7,412
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I have a varied sleeping pattern, anything from 10 to 5 hours or less, but I never seem to wake up "refreshed" now, if that is the correct word, I could always stay in bed longer. This was not always the case. I take time to "wake up" and usually a cup of coffee and meds do that. I do often feel tired in the day and sometimes fight it but other times, get some zeeees.

    My OH does not have arthritis and he often falls asleep in a chair in the day and at work. He gets around 9 hours sleep at night.
    He has just turned 60 :D but this has been going on for years and years. This falling asleep in the day runs in his family with the men! :lol::lol:
    The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

    If you can lay down at night knowing in your heart that you made someone's day just a little bit better, you know you had a good day.
  • breane
    breane Member Posts: 392
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi,Even before I had OA and RA I was a very poor sleeper. :( No mattter what time I went to bed I would wake several times through the night so can't remember a time when I slept right through.When the arthritis pain struck it became much worse,I would wake and then couldn't get back to sleep at all so ended up getting up and going downstairs just to pass the time.It's only since I've been on steroids that my nights have become a bit better.I still wake during the night but soon get back to sleep again.Be interesting to see what happens when I'm off the steroids.At the moment I'm being weaned off them from 8 a day to now taking 4 a day then two a day from next week.My first appointment with the rheumy next week so will ses if he keeps me on them. Breane. :lol:
  • vonski
    vonski Member Posts: 1,292
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi

    I normally end up asleep in the chair then go to bed early morning for a few more hours. Quite often sleep in chair again during day so very peculiar sleep patterns. I really should try going to bed when I first feel tired. My hubby has come home from work at 7.30am to find me asleep and sent me to bed :oops:

    Hope you are feeling better.

    Love
    Vonski x
  • page35
    page35 Member Posts: 1,081
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi
    i get around 6 to7 hours sleep, always broken, have a 2yr old daughter that wakes in night to come in my bed, then i need a wee, then theres the arthur pain and OH snoreing also the rabbits in garden banging there hutch cos fox has got into garden again no wonder im tired. :roll:
  • mash65
    mash65 Bots Posts: 834
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    hi all,i seem to be restless alnight.up & down,either because ive got stiff & need to get up to move around or i need the loo.
    but by 3am i go off for a few hrs,wake again about 6am then i can sleep through til 11am sometimes later.
    but im the same,never feel as if ive had a decent nights sleep.
    i think the last time a had 8hr or more solid sleep was last sept,we were on a fishing/camping holiday,being in the fresh air all day & sleeeping in tent sent me off no problem.
    so my answer live in a tent with fresh air all day :wink::wink::lol::lol: only kidding. debsx
  • joyful164
    joyful164 Member Posts: 2,401
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I think even healthy people these days feel the same. There are every day anxieties such as work, children and trying to keep a roof over their heads.

    But I know what you mean, the only time i got any decent sleep was when I was prescribed patches. Since coming off them I am often up for nearly 4 hrs each night because I am suffering from muscle spasms, painful wrists and hands and a painful hip. I am not going to take my new medication tonight Clonazepam because I don't think it is for me. As I managed about 7 hours painting today with only 2 rest periods I think that is an improvement.

    To allthe rest of you with young children, I hope they give you a good night tonight

    sweet dreams

    joyful
  • lindalegs
    lindalegs Member Posts: 5,395
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Sleep ....... wots sleep a045.gif

    ......oh I remember that a045.gifa045.gifa045.gifa045.gif

    Night, night everyone.

    Luv Legs a045.gif

    PS At least when I lie awake in the night I know there are many other arthur sufferers out there lieing awake with me, I'm not alone any longer :roll:
    Love, Legs x
    'Make a life out of what you have, not what you're missing'
  • mistywillow
    mistywillow Member Posts: 711
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    lindalegs wrote:
    Sleep ....... wots sleep a045.gif

    ......oh I remember that a045.gifa045.gifa045.gifa045.gif

    Night, night everyone.

    Luv Legs a045.gif

    PS At least when I lie awake in the night I know there are many other arthur sufferers out there lieing awake with me, I'm not alone any longer :roll:


    Hi all
    I go off to bed at about 11pm the read or come on the site for between 1hour and whatever it takes for me to feel sleepy. I wake up lots during the night as I cant turn over etc and I get really stiff and sore. The alarm goes at 6'00am and I usually get up at 6.30am. I have always been a morning person, and I have never needed much sleep. I do get periods though when I am absolutely exhausted but I think that is the RA and nothing to do with how much sleep I am getting
    Gillxx

    PS we could read each other stories, Legs!
  • livinglegend
    livinglegend Member Posts: 1,425
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Ra Fatigue is normal, well that's my excuse anyway. f030.gif

    Joseph 8)
    Josephm0310.gif
  • suzster
    suzster Member Posts: 1,328
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    i sleep for probably about 8 hours a night but always broken, waking up to shift position due to pain, it's horrible. i am always tired during the day.
    my oh often moans that i'm restless, but i can't help it! he's one of those people that sleep 9 hour or so and wakes up like a spring chicken at 6.30am, it winds me up sometimes lol, i'd love to wake up and feel refreshed and alert, snore, zzzzzz, no chance of that!

    but i find if i fall asleep during the day i feel worse, power naps don't work for me!
  • jaspercat
    jaspercat Member Posts: 1,238
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi, I manage about 3 hours until 3am, then I drop off again until around 6am, I get up at 7am and feed the cat, then I go back to bed until around 10am love Jaspercatxx
  • becs123
    becs123 Bots Posts: 7
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    For those that sleep but still feel tired - have you been tested for an under-active thyroid? I have RA and used to feel this way, but was then diagnosed as having an under-active thyroid as well. Its connect to RA in that it can be regarded as an auto-immune disease.

    Taking thyroxine has made me feel much less tired. Removing the urge to lie on the pavement!
  • joyful164
    joyful164 Member Posts: 2,401
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I normally get up and do some ironing or another job that wants doing. Why waste the time in bed worrying about not getting to sleep. If you do about a half hour or so, then go back to bed, you have emptied your head of problems and you might find you go straight off.

    You can always put some lavender oil on your pillow, that helps

    Have a quick shower and project the showeronto the part that's hurting the most. Let's face it, if you are in bed getting all tensed up because you can't sleep then you are going to hurt more.

    You can always nap during the day then and you know you have got some jobs done.

    I find this helps me especially if I go off and do some of my art for an hour.
    joyful
  • fossillady
    fossillady Member Posts: 37
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    After taking my meds for RA and FM at around 9pm I generally fall asleep ok only to wake up an hour or so later stiff and in pain (and then need the loo :? ) I then have trouble getting back to sleep again as I cannot get comfortable and then become restless because I can't sleep . I never seem to get the deep sleep that makes you feel refreshed in the morning but always have light REM sleep which results in lots of weird dreams :shock:


    My MTX and Etanercept injections usually wipe me out and make me zombified the night I take them and the day after but I still don't get any satisfying sleep despite being tired and fatigued all the time. gaehn5.gif



    Anyone got a big hammer ! martillazo7bl.gif
  • joyful164
    joyful164 Member Posts: 2,401
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    elnafinn wrote:
    I have a varied sleeping pattern, anything from 10 to 5 hours or less, but I never seem to wake up "refreshed" now, if that is the correct word, I could always stay in bed longer. This was not always the case. I take time to "wake up" and usually a cup of coffee and meds do that. I do often feel tired in the day and sometimes fight it but other times, get some zeeees.

    My OH does not have arthritis and he often falls asleep in a chair in the day and at work. He gets around 9 hours sleep at night.
    He has just turned 60 :D but this has been going on for years and years. This falling asleep in the day runs in his family with the men! :lol::lol:

    Hi Elna

    So does my OH, but I can't really point the finger anymore, Always falling asleep in my chair now and then when i get to bed, don't always sleep properly.

    joyful
  • lindalegs
    lindalegs Member Posts: 5,395
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    .........PS we could read each other stories, Legs!

    You're on Gill ..... my favourite used to be The Tinderbox ... and we'll read a page each ...... you start :lol:

    Luv Legs :lol:
    Love, Legs x
    'Make a life out of what you have, not what you're missing'
  • skezier
    skezier Member Posts: 11,333
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi,

    Sleep........... I sometimes don't seem to much and other times its as if I have been bashed on the head. I rearly turn in before 12 and then seem to watch a vid and drift off or else drift off to music. Like Gill I can't turn over in my sleep and wake if I end up on my back cus that hurts. Arm chair duties are often a problem on a sunday and a wednesday but I am up at 5 those 2 days. I don't use an alarm except for a sunday and a wednesday and the employers wake me round 7.30-8.

    Hey Legs I loved the tinder box and Box of delights and the Children of Green Knowe........ I might still read them......... :lol: x
  • prayerman1973
    prayerman1973 Member Posts: 24
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I used to be able to go many hours without the need for sleep, however, now I get around 8-9 hours a night but by mid afternoon (if I am lucky) I am finding myself falling asleep. My last visit to the GP I mentioned this and she said that she will check the blood count for anemia???
    It is probably the most annoying thing for me as I am a student who is now falling behind. I hope an answer is given soon so I can resume studies.

    Hope you're feeling well today

    Alan
  • sharmaine
    sharmaine Member Posts: 1,638
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi

    I generally get about 8-9 hours sleep. Like you I feel very groggy first thing; my limbs are stiff and I feel tired. It takes me a good hour to feel awake. I find a little rest in the afternoon helps. I have OA and I find after doing my chores I'm worn out. I think it's because we use a great deal of energy with our disabilities that it makes you jolly tired. Just getting up and down the stairs is hard work!

    I have this routine: shower; change; make the beds; tidy upstairs; sort out the washing; go downstairs have breakfast; load the dishwasher; cup of tea - medication and so it goes on! James Bond would find my life boring. If I need anything I tend to leave this until mid-afternoon when the creaking joints are warmed up! I don't know how I coped with a full-time job last year. I'm pleased I left because I would have been a liability!

    If I over exert myself it makes me irritable - so frequent rests are essential.

    Sharmaine


    noeltone wrote:
    Interested to know how much sleep peeps have albeit it unbroken or broken with arthur pain. I had last night 10 hours and still I wake up dog tired and I slept right thru and sometimes power nap during the day and mostly feel quite groggy
  • justinbarrow
    justinbarrow Member Posts: 338
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I dont get much sleep I go to bed at midnight (try to stay awake as long as possible to make me feel sleepy) The normal thing for me is...

    Midnight go to bed - sleep for 2 or 3 hours which is when i wake with pain, so about 3 in the morning have to mess about with pillows to prop myself up then do back off for just 45 mins then wake up with neck pain then lie down (i cant lay on my back or left side) so only lay on my right side drift off for another hour then wake again because of pain in my back (usually due to falling asleep on my side then moving onto my back without me realising it)

    At this point its about 5 in the morning and have to repeat the above cycle over again, but the annoying thing is when its time to get up i always feel very sleepy.

    I would say i am not getting enough sleep and always find myself clock watching through the night :roll: but i know that there are a lot of people who cant get to sleep and understand how frustrating it is.

    Then normal healthy people moan at you during the day thinking you are ok when you are not you have the pain through the day to deal with and then the tiredness aswell then when you go to bed cant sleep - what are we like :lol: cant win.
  • suzster
    suzster Member Posts: 1,328
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    i'm noticing recently that the amitriptyline isn't working as well as it did, i upped my dose from 20mg to 30mg a few months ago which helped but now i have gone from crashing our about 30 mins after taking it to tossing and turning for hours before i eventually fall asleep, then it's the waking up to change position, it's no wonder we can be misserable so n' so's is it!! lol

    i just don't understand why the tablets have suddenly stopped working? anyone got any ideas?