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Sleep Medicine Specialists: Behavioral Sleep Medicine Clinic
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What is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by fatigue, widespread pain in your muscles, ligaments and tendons, and multiple tender points - places on your body where slight pressure causes pain. Previously, the condition was known by other names such as fibrositis, chronic muscle pain syndrome, psychogenic rheumatism and tension myalgias. One of the most prominent complaints in fibromyalgia is poor sleep. People with fibromyalgia often wake up tired and unrefreshed even though they seem to get plenty of sleep. Some studies suggest that this sleep problem is the result of a sleep disorder called alpha wave interrupted sleep pattern, a condition in which deep sleep is frequently interrupted by bursts of brain activity similar to wakefulness. So people with fibromyalgia miss the deep restorative stage of sleep (stage 4). Nighttime muscle spasms in your legs (periodic limb movement disorder or nocturnal myoclonus) and restless legs syndrome also may be associated with fibromyalgia. Recent studies have suggested that cognitive-behavioral treatment is a promising intervention for sleep disturbance in fibromyalgia patients. Treatment is aimed at normalizing sleep patterns, reducing stress, and increasing ones ability to get the deep sleep their muscles need.
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