Muscle pain accompanies sleep disturbances

Those suffering from fibromyalgia syndrome, a disorder characterised by chronic pain in the muscles and bones, are highly prone to sleep disturbances. Past research in fibromyalgia syndrome had found a number of symptoms that are prevalent, including pain, reduced ability to perform everyday tasks, sleep problems, and depression. To identify sleep problems with those suffering from fibromyalgia syndrome and to examine their relationship to pain, depression and physical functioning, researchers from America studied 600 people with the syndrome. All of the patients completed an assessment at the beginning of the study and 492 were available to complete another assessment a year later. The participants were asked to fill questionnaires regarding their sleep patterns, pain attacks and depression symptoms. It was found that 96 percent of the patients at the beginning of the study and 95 percent one year later reported episodes of acute sleep disturbances The investigators found that none of the patient variables at the beginning of the study predicted quality of sleep. However, the quality of sleep at the start of the study predicted the degree of pain one year later, the extent of pain at the beginning of the study predicted physical functioning one year later, and physical functioning at the start of the trial predicted the extent of the patient's depression after one year. The above findings highlight the high prevalence of sleep problems in those suffering from fibromyalgia syndrome.

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