Sleep dysfunction

Sleep dysfunction is very common in ME/CFS patients and can take a very wide range of forms, with unrefreshing sleep being particularly common. The prevalence of sleep disorders in ME/CFS is estimated at 56%.

Fibromyalgia patients also suffer from sleep disorders.

Types of sleep dysfunction
Some of these sleep dysfunctions or disorders include:
 * dysania (a state of finding it hard to get out of bed in the morning; in ME/CFS it can an extended period lasting several hours after awakening)
 * hypersomnia (excessive sleeping, inability to stay awake)
 * hypnagogia (transitional state from wakefulness to sleep during which lucid thought, lucid dreaming, hallucinations and, sleep paralysis can occur)
 * insomnia (difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, and/or waking up too early in the morning)
 * light sleep (a non-REM stage and the easiest sleep stage to awaken from)
 * Periodic limb movement disorder/nocturnal myoclonus - involuntary jerking or leg movements when sleeping or when falling asleep
 * nightmares (a frightening or unpleasant dream)
 * night sweats (excessive sweating while you sleep)
 * Restless legs syndrome (a strong urge to move one's legs)
 * Sleep apnea (pauses in breathing or periods of shallow breathing)
 * sleep phase shifting or sleep reversal (reversed or chaotic diurnal sleep rhythms) (circadian abnormalities: delayed sleep phase, non 24hr sleep cycle, loss of rhythm)
 * somnolence (sleepiness)
 * unrefreshing sleep (poor-quality sleep that doesn't relieve fatigue)

Prevalence

 * Depending on the criteria used for diagnosis, prevalence can vary greatly.

According to the published evidence, the mean prevalence of sleep disorders in patients with CFS is estimated at 56%.
 * In a 2001 Belgian study, 91.9% of patients meeting the Fukuda criteria and 94.8% of patients meeting the Holmes criteria, in a cohort of 2073 CFS patients, reported sleep disturbances.
 * A 2017 study by Davidson, et al, found up to 96.8% of people with CFS report unrefreshing sleep and many describe changes in sleep over the course of their illness.

Symptom recognition
Sleep dysfunction is a core requirement to meet the diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS according to the 2003 Canadian Consensus Criteria, the 2007 Nightingale definition, and the 2015 Institute of Medicine report.

Sleep dysfunction is an optional symptom in the 1988 Holmes criteria, the 1991 Oxford criteria, the 1994 Fukuda criteria, the 2005 Reeves criteria, the 2007 NICE guidelines, the 2012 International Consensus Criteria. , and the 2014 London criteria.

Sleep dysfunction is not a criteria listed for diagnosis with the 1986 Ramsay definition.

Notable studies

 * 2007, Paradoxical NREMS Distribution in “Pure” Chronic Fatigue Patients: A Comparison with Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Patients and Healthy Control Subjects - (Abstract)
 * 2012, Sleep Abnormalities in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: A Review - (Full Text)
 * 2017, Sleep Quality in Adolescents With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) - (Full text)
 * 2018, Circadian rhythm abnormalities and autonomic dysfunction in patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis - (Full Text)
 * 2018, The putative role of oxidative stress and inflammation in the pathophysiology of sleep dysfunction across neuropsychiatric disorders: Focus on chronic fatigue syndrome, bipolar disorder and multiple sclerosis - (Abstract)
 * 2018, Association of sleep disorders, chronic pain, and fatigue with survival in patients with chronic kidney disease: A meta-analysis of clinical trials - (Abstract)
 * 2021, Systematic Review of Sleep Characteristics in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (Full text)

Treatment
Treatment can include non-benzodiazepine hypnotics, or benzodiazepine hypnotics (benzos), other sedatives, sedating antidepressants, cannabiniods (CBD), melatonin, vitamin B12, meditation and good sleep hygiene practices.

Medications, including:
 * Benzodiazepines (benzos), e.g. temazepam, Valium (diazepam)
 * Non-benzodiazepine hypnotics, commonly known as z-drugs, e.g. zopiclone, Ambien (zolpidem)
 * Sedating antidepressants, particularly amitriptyline
 * Sedating anti-histamines, e.g., diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
 * Melatonin, either on prescription or as a supplement
 * Other medications, when used off-label

Supplements and natural remedies include : category = Hypnotics category = Supplements ordermethod=sortkey order=ascending mode=inline-list

Learn more

 * Medications for insomnia - drugs.com