small fiber neuropathy symptoms -neuropathy and sleep

It’s four in the morning and you are still awake. You have been in bed, and you should have been asleep ages ago. Your alarm will go off in only a few hours, and you are dreading the small fiber neuropathy symptoms long day ahead that you will have to spend completely exhausted.

If you suffer from peripheral neuropathy, this scenario is probably all too familiar. Insomnia or lack of sleep affects almost half of the overall population, but among neuropathy sufferers, that ratio jumps to over seventy percent.

Experts recommend between seven and nine hours of sleep for most adults, regardless of their age or gender, an intimidating goal if you are someone whose chronic pain keeps them up at night. Neuropathy pain can intensify in the evening hours, both in reality and in perception as fewer distractions of the day can cause a sufferer to focus more on their pain the closer they get to bedtime.

Research suggests that sleep apnea, a common cause of insomnia, can actually cause peripheral neuropathy, as well. Beyond a mere relationship studies have shown that apnea is a high-risk condition among the insulin-resistant, which could likely be affecting incidents of neuropathy among diabetics in very direct ways.

Insomnia from neuropathy can perpetuate its own problem, too. Not only is neuropathic pain prodigious when it comes to night time restlessness, but the resulting lack of sleep can make the pain even worse.

Rest is essential to recovery and treatment, and lack of sleep can lower your pain threshold drastically. You need that sleep, so what can you do? There are several steps you can take if your neuropathy is keeping you awake at night. Your clinician can work with you to best help your specific situation, but here are some guidelines to get you started:

·       Do your best to keep a regular sleeping schedule. Be persistent! Getting to bed and getting up at the same time each day is one of the best ways to train your body to sleep correctly.

·       Limit your intake of caffeine and any medication that incorporates a stimulant or non drowsy, especially in the evening hours.

·       Avoid heavy foods in the evening. Our bodies metabolize food for hours after we eat, giving us a boost of energy! Energy is great when we need it, but can be a pain when we don’t. Many cultures eat their biggest meal of the day in the morning and only a small snack at dinner time for this reason. Try it out!

·       Try turning off the TV and computer a few hours before bed. Mileage varies from person to person, but electronics tends to stimulate the senses. Try a book or quiet conversation, instead.

·        Adjust your environment to be ideal for sleeping. Layer your covers to ensure you stay warm but not hot, and minimize light and noise.

There are number of herbal and natural sleep aids as well, which may help you fall asleep quickly. Sleep expert Elizabeth Shannon recommends entertaining a number of stress- relief method, psychological conditioning, and homeopathic solution for insomnia before resorting to pharmaceutical sleeps aids, which can often form dependencies and, over time, exacerbate the problems associated with restlessness. Always be cautious with medications, and consult your specialist clinician or other doctor before medicating.

Always remember, altering your sleep pattern won’t happen overnight! It could be three to four weeks before any changes you make to your routine begin to have meaningful impact on your success. Getting to and staying asleep, and don’t be surprised if your restlessness gets worse before it gets better. Contact us, and we can help you find a clinician in your area and you give you even more information about how to get the rest you need while suffering from neuropathy.

Much has been written about the effects of exercise and health in general, but what you may not know is there are good studies showing improvements in many health parameters with regular physical activity and exercise.

Not too long ago, the American college of sports medicine made the statement that adults should be very physically active seven days a week. Not unexpectedly, the media attacked this as totally not doable by most adults.

But the fact is, the more sedentary our lives become, the worse our health becomes. For example, we know that metabolism slows with as little as 90 minutes of continued sitting at your desk. As your metabolism slows, you become much more efficient at making fat then you do burning it.

And as a regular reader of this article, you know that poor metabolism can lead to development of neuropathy, type 2 diabetes or more serious illness. So this means you can boost your metabolism with a workout at this gym or s stroll in the morning and eat properly but sitting all day without moving will negatively impact your health. It may seem like a lot of work, but you will become accustomed to it even it is uncomfortable at first.

Typically, inactivity will make your neuropathy or chronic pain worse. So, for patients who already suffer from peripheral neuropathy, this is even more critical. So what’s the solution? In simple terms, it’s important to get as much physical activity as you possibly can. In times of illness, or recovering from surgery or accidents, this may simply mean getting bed to bathroom more often.

As recovery continues, it’s imperative that you push and move as much as possible. For patients who suffer from peripheral neuropathy of the feet using bicycles and similar low impact equipment can be very beneficial.

Even just five minutes an hour can really add up at the end of your day. If you need to sit at your workplace, try getting up and taking a walk every 45 minutes. Try setting a goal of drinking eight glasses of water a day; your body will stay hydrated and you will have an excuse to get up every so often! Not only will you feel better, but you will improve the chances of a better neuropathy smallfiber neuropathy symptoms treatment outcome!