Insomnia in women linked to fibromyalgia risk

Dr Paul Mork - Associate professor in the Department of Human Motion Sciences at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, Norway says research has found a strong link between sleep disturbances and sleep disturbances. sleep or insomnia in women and the risk of fibromyalgia in adult women. Fibromyalgia causes pain and muscle weakness throughout the body, but it affects up to 5% of the adult population in the United States, mainly affecting women.
Norwegian researchers also found that women with sleep complaints, frequent insomnia in women or always having trouble sleeping were more likely to have fibromyalgia. This association was somewhat stronger in middle-aged women than in younger women.
Researchers followed 12,350 Norwegian women aged 20 years and older for a period of 10 years. All women participated in a large nationwide health survey, had a physical examination and completed a questionnaire describing their medical history upon enrollment.
At the start of the study, the researchers asked the women about their sleep habits, including whether they had trouble sleeping, how often these problems occurred, and none of them. participants regularly took sleeping pills. All women in the study experienced no pain or stiffness in the muscles or limbs, no fibromyalgia, musculoskeletal pain or other physical impairments when the study was conducted, and no movement disorders. .
Ten years after conducting the study, researchers found that 327 women had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. More than 3% of women aged 20-44 are diagnosed with this condition, and 2% of women aged 45 and older.

Women aged 45 and over who frequently or consistently have problems sleeping are 5 times more likely to develop fibromyalgia than women who do not have sleep problems. Young women aged 20 to 44 who have trouble sleeping with their eyes closed are three times more likely to develop the disorder.
At the start of the study, about two-thirds of the women said they had no trouble sleeping. Compared with that group, those who said they "occasionally" had trouble falling asleep or had any sleep disturbance in the previous month were twice as likely to develop fibromyalgia. The risk was 3.5 times higher in those who said they "frequently or always" had problems sleeping.
However, the study still had some shortcomings, the researchers based their own assessment of the women on their sleep problems and fibromyalgia symptoms, not really. There are official diagnoses. Although the researchers took into account a number of factors that could potentially influence the results (such as body mass index, depression, and education level), they still lacked data on “anxiety.” This is a problem related to both sleep and fibromyalgia.
Carol A. Landis, professor at the University of Washington School of Nursing, Seattle, said other important factors not measured in the study include: menopausal status and history of physical or psychological trauma. Landis says 30 to 50 percent of women with fibromyalgia have a history of trauma.
The weight of evidence that actually supports the important role of sleep in fibromyalgia must be considered, however. Researchers don't always understand the biological mechanisms underlying the link between sleep and pain, but they clearly do. Clinicians and patients should be aware of this association and focus on addressing sleep problems, especially poor sleep, to reduce the risk of chronic pain.

As mentioned above, a woman without chronic pain at first but with frequent insomnia and other sleep problems is more likely to have fibromyalgia after 10 years. Women affected by sleep problems were three times more likely to develop fibromyalgia and pain disorders than women with better rest.
However, the exact mechanism by which insomnia in women can cause widespread musculoskeletal pain is uncertain, so additional studies should be encouraged to explore whether early detection and treatment of these problems is warranted. Sleep problems can reduce the risk of developing widespread chronic pain. The findings suggest that sleep problems may lead to fibromyalgia pain, but the researchers say the relationship isn't so clear-cut. While sleep deprivation has been shown in previous research to increase inflammation and decrease the body's ability to manage pain, experts have yet to draw a straight line from sleep problems to fibromyalgia. .
Dr. Paul J. Mork - study co-author at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim says sleep problems are just one factor that can contribute to the development of myalgia due to fibrosis. Fibromyalgia is a complex pain syndrome and there are many other factors that can contribute to the development of this disease.
Doctors have long been aware of the link between poor sleep and fibromyalgia - a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain and tender spots in soft tissue. Fibromyalgia patients are more than 90% women - nearly always complain of trouble sleeping, while poor sleep has been linked to worse pain.
Lesley Arnold, PhD, professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine, says there is a reciprocal relationship between fibromyalgia and sleep quality, which pain can affect to the patient's sleep, which in turn leads to poor sleep, increases pain, and leads to a persistent vicious cycle.
It is possible that sleep problems should be taken seriously. In addition to being a risk factor for fibromyalgia, sleep problems are also associated with an increased risk of other chronic conditions, such as heart disease. Therefore, early detection and appropriate treatment can reduce the risk of chronic disease in the future.
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References: webmd.com, health.com