Unrefreshing sleep

Unrefreshing sleep or nonrestorative sleep is a light sleep that, even after a full night, doesn't leave you rested.

People with ME/CFS will often awaken feeling exhausted as if they have not slept.

It is a core symptom in the diagnosis of SEID (ME/CFS). Fibromyalgia patients also experience unrefreshing sleep.

Prevalence
The "Report Guide for Clinicians" by the IOM and a part of the Institute of Medicine report states: "Despite the absence of a specific objective alteration in sleep architecture, the data are strong that the complaint of unrefreshing sleep is universal among patients with ME/CFS (SEID) when questions about sleep specifically address this issue.  While polysomnography is not required to diagnose ME/CFS (SEID), its use to screen for treatable sleep disorders when indicated is appropriate. Diagnosis of a primary sleep disorder does not rule out a diagnosis of ME/CFS (SEID)."

Symptom recognition

 * In the Fukuda criteria, the symptom of unrefreshing sleep can be used to help form a diagnosis.
 * In the SEID criteria, it is a mandatory core symptom.

Notable studies

 * 1997, Sleep anomalies in the chronic fatigue syndrome. A comorbidity study.


 * 2016, Prevalencia de síntomas de fatiga crónica / encefalomielitis miálgica (SFC/EM) y su relación con factores ocupacionales en trabajadores en una empresa de vigilancia en Bogotá, Colombia Note: This study did not use PEM as a inclusionary symptom nor did it use any Definitions of ME and CFS including the most symptom liberal of valid definitions, SEID. The only entry criteria noted were fatigue and muscle pain which seem to be the broadest and loose of symptom definitions Reeves criteria and Oxford criteria.

Learn more

 * 2016, How I sleep at night
 * 2019, Unrefreshing Sleep in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome