How to Get a Good Night's Sleep with Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Answer 1

If you have rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), you might be surprised to learn that you need more sleep than other people, about 10 hours a night or eight hours with two naps, according to experts at Johns Hopkins University. The swollen joints, pain and stiffness that come with RA, however, can make falling asleep and staying asleep difficult. Sufferers usually wake up at least once a night to stretch or even soak in a hot bath in an attempt to relieve stiff, painful joints. Follow these tips to get a good night's sleep despite your RA:

Start with a good mattress.

With rheumatoid arthritis, you must strike a balance between a firm mattress to support your aching joints and one that doesn't put pressure on sore areas. A good balance is combination of a firm mattress and an egg-crate or memory-foam topper. Also consider two attached twin mattresses so that you and your partner don't waken each other during the night.

Take a warm shower or bath before bed.

If you're used to taking a shower first thing in the morning, switch it to evening. The warm water helps to loosen joints and relieve swelling.

Stretch before going to bed.

Perform slow, gentle stretching exercises before bed to prevent wakening in the middle of the night with stiff joints.

Switch the timing of your pain medication to bedtime.

Being immobile during sleep causes joints to stiffen. Take your pain medication about hour before bed so it will take effect right when you want to sleep.

If other medicines keep you awake, take them earlier.

A few disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) keep some people awake. Read the list of possible side effects, and if sleep loss is among them, try taking them earlier in the day.

Keep your disease under control.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that must be managed medically. Modern medicine has come a long way in developing medications and surgery to control RA, but it takes close supervision by a rheumatology specialist. Your doctor will probably prescribe a combination of symptom-relieving and disease-modifying medications.

Consider a pain patch.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications now come in a prescription patch that you can use daily without the risk of stomach ulcers that come with the pill form. Simply apply patches to your most painful joints, and leave on all night.