Lupus Site - a guide for lupus patients and their families

Many lupus patients have difficulty getting to sleep & staying asleep. This can be due to a number of things - steroids can make a person 'hyper' & unable to sleep; pain can keep you awake; many lupus patients also have fibromyalgia, which can cause sleep disturbance.

Here are some tips for getting a better night's sleep -

Take a long relaxing bath (not too hot) before bedtime, preferably with essential oils such as lavender in the water.

Have a warm milky drink before bedtime.

Eat a banana - this contrains substances which can help induce sleep.

Don't eat a heavy meal before bedtime.

Put a few drops of a relaxing essential oil, such as lavender, on your pillow.

Go to bed & get up at the same time every day.

If you can't sleep & are tossing & turning, get out of bed. Go into another room & read a book or watch TV. When you feel sleepy, go back to bed.

Try playing a relaxation tape, or try relaxation techniques.

Avoid drinking alcohol, or anything containing caffeine (tea, coffee, cola) before bedtime. Although alcohol acts as a sedative, it disrupts normal sleep patterns & causes you to wake up during the night.

Make sure you have thick curtains in your bedroom that block out early morning light, or try wearing eyeshades.

Check if any of your medications cause insomnia. It may be better to take certain medications in the morning instead of the evening.

If you take sleeping pills or anti-depressants, don't just stop taking them suddenly. Speak to your doctor about reducing the dose gradually.

Don't exercise immediately before bedtime, it won't wear you out, but make you more alert.

If pain is keeping you awake, look at different pain relief methods.

Make sure the night clothes aren't too tight - wear loose, baggy pyjamas.

Make sure your bedroom isn't too hot or too cold.

Don't clock-watch, cover it up if necessary so you can't keep looking at the time.