How do you cope with sleepless nights

alanthemanc

I had a massive flare up last night, and was awake from about 3 in the morning. No chance of sleeping, I wandered around the house, then got the I Pod out listening to Heavy Metal music, made a brew, tried to get back to sleep at 4, but the left shoulder was too painful.
Tried listening to Matt Monroe for a bit, still no joy, got up and had some breakfast at 5am.
I've tried everything during flare ups... nothing works. I'm shattered, I've not had any real sleep for 3 days.
Anyone got any ideas..... I need help ... Alanthemanc

stickywicket

I'm sorry but I can't remember whether you have OA, an inflammatory form of arthritis or both :oops:

Whenever my RA has flared nothing short of a visit to my rheumatologist and change of meds has made the slightest bit of difference.

I find my OA is a different beast in that, in the first place it gets worse in response to my overdoing things whereas the RA just goes off on one whenever it feels like it. Secondly, the OA does usually settle down eventually in response to rest and a temporary upping of pain relief and exercises.

If I can't sleep for the pain I do most of the things you've suggested (Well, not the heavy metal or Mat Munroe ) ie just try to distract myself from the pain with anything that will absorb my attention preferably accompanied by a cup of tea. I usually move between reading, playing computer games, catching up on emails and watching whatever's on TV. I find my attention span is poor at such times so I move from one to another every 1/4 hr or so.

A judicial arrangement of pillows can sometimes help a painful shoulder but, if it's obvious I'm not going to sleep, I don't try. I might lie there with no intention of sleeping or just get up and do as outlined. Sometimes it can be easier to nod off in a recliner.

Have you done something to aggravate the shoulder? How about asking your GP for a change of pain relief and some physio?

alanthemanc

Stickey / Ken
Yeh, I have had R.A. since I was 16, and last night was in my top 3 flare ups of all time. One idea I have tried is the extra Steroid at midnight trick, and to my surprise, my Arthritis specialist said he agreed, and I was a good idea.
So if anyone is really having a bad flare up, maybe try that, because to be honest there's not a lot you can do. Thanks a lot for your advice

Slosh

I have OA so my bad nights are usually due to payback but I know how soul destroying it can be and how the hours seem to drag. I'm afraid I don't have any magic solutions, tend to try out listening to music, relaxation apps, radio 4/world service and occasionally making a cuppa and reading, but don't do that too often due the fact that as it is my neck and shoukders that are affected that only tends to make the pain worse and I tend to find that what works like a charm one night faiks to do the trick the next.

I don't have a clock in my bedroom so I can't lie there staring at the hours slowly passing.

I hope your flare-up dies down quickly, as I said I don't know much about these, and that you start to sleep better soon.

Starburst

Relaxing music always seems to help me. I went through a patch of suffering really bad insomnia and was prescribed sleeping pills, coming off them was awful but I found that Whitney Houston songs seemed to calm me and help me sleep! Reading a nice book helps too. I try not to turn on the TV or laptop because apparently the movement can be over-stimulating.

I was told that you shouldn't lie in bed and be awake if you suffer from insomnia. If you can't sleep, you are meant to get up, therefore you associate being in bed with being asleep.

I sympathise, nothing worse than being awake and in pain.

stickywicket

So, you sorted things out the sensible way. Well done, you! How was last night? Did it help? I hope so.

dreamdaisy

That sounds like a strange solution but I can see why it would help, especially if it's a low dose of steroid. I don't have sleepless nights as such, it's more the case of being awake for long periods and has been for years. It must wonderful to sleep through and wake refreshed, yet another one of life's small pleasures denied to us arthritics.

I hope you had a better night; how's Carlos? DD

Slosh

How true DD. I hadn't thought of it that way but you're right. Nowadays I think I've done well if I manage 4 hours uninterrupted sleep, my more usual pattern once I have drifted off is to wake avery hour or so. I'm now just trying to accept it and try not to stress about it.

alanthemanc

Sticky /// D.D.
A lot better this morning, and a better nights kip, although still not 100% .
D.D. the extra steroid at midnight thing happened about a year ago. I was getting really bad flare ups every 3 weeks or so. In desperation I thought why not try an extra steroid while in theory still asleep.
Anyway, when I saw the Doc I asked him and he said," how did you find that out ", and said no problem if it works for you....... and it really does work. ( check with your Doc ).
Carlos is ok thanks....... good to see Ipswich on the up. Alanthemanc

Boomer13

Contrary to good sleep hygiene, which says the light of a TV screen will keep you awake, I turn on the TV and it puts me to sleep every time. It's probably not a good quality sleep, but I'll take any kind

Sleep well.

Last night I dreamt for a while that my joints: hips, ankles, shoulder and my back were being prodded and twisted viciously by a sinister doctor. No surprise, the pain then woke me up. No sleep for me. I'm in my second longest flare, at week seven now, though it's not the top three pain-wise. At week seven now. Pure torture.

StatsGirl

Can't help with the pain side, but I find having several hours of podcasts helps. Something interesting, but with a consistent sound. TEDTalks are good. (Though iTunes is full of stuff you'll like)

I find the worst thing is to try to sleep

Instead I just accept that I may or may not sleep and just listen to podcasts instead. Now it takes less than half an hour to fall asleep.

Hope you find something that helps.

Slosh

I think that's why I like radio 4/world service. Something to listen to and I quite often find that it's when I decide that what's on is something I want to listen to is when I fall asleep. Like you I just try to accept that it will take me a while to fall sleep. Because I'm usually in so much pain by about 9.30 and just can't cope with sitting up anymore I'm tending to go to bed before I'm really sleepy.
Oh the joys!

mzjones

My father- who has mild OA says a warm bath has helped him when he wakes up in the middle of the night. But he says that about all his problems. Does that help anyone else?

dreamdaisy

Heat does help OA so I'm not surprised he finds a bath beneficial. Bathing is beyond me now, I can get in (gravity assisted) but cannot get out as my legs no longer bend sufficiently. I am looking forward to our new ground-floor bathroom en-suite because that will have a lovely shower plus a seat at the height to suit me. Sitting under warm rain will be lovely! DD

mzjones

Thanks for the idea. I'll tell him to put some salts in the water next time. I totally didn't think about how OA could get so bad that he couldn't take a bath. Hopefully we will be able to keep him from getting to that point.