Tom Kindlon

"Good Sleep Practices for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia"

https://www.healthrising.org/treating-chronic-fatigue-syndrome/good-sleep-practices-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-fibromyalgia/

Comment: I'm not convinced exercising helps sleep in ME/CFS but that is only one of many suggestions

#MEcfs #CFS #PwME #MyalgicEncephalomyelitis #ChronicFatigueSyndrome #Fibromyalgia #Fibro #FMS
@mecfs

Oct 18 at 6:16pmWeb
Show threadCetrariaOct 18
@tomkindlon @mecfs I'd love to see sleep tips some day for people with more severe ME/CFS who are bedbound and can't either exercise or take hot baths/sauna.
Show threadFriekeOct 18

@Cetraria didn't read article but when sleepless I try yoga nidra, guided sleep meditation or listening to audiobook. Last two you have to be able to tolerate some sound and find voice you like.

@tomkindlon @mecfs

Show threadKirrusOct 18
@Frieke72 @Cetraria @tomkindlon @mecfs I have audiobook down as low as 55% speed when really bad, and listen to comfy chill book I've listened to before. Then stick on sleep timer, if I sleep yay, if I don't, my mind isn't spinning :)
Show threadLyndsay BarwellOct 18
@Frieke72 @Cetraria @tomkindlon @mecfs yes, two narrators in particular on the Calm app have put me to sleep many times. Luckily I get that for free. Before that, I listened to a guy read wikipedia pages on insight timer. Nidra yoga sometimes helps. And/or counting down from 100, one breath per count and sucking in my chest to exhale extra.
Show threadLyndsay BarwellOct 19
@Frieke72 @Cetraria @tomkindlon @mecfs and I've tried to get better to listening when my body feel sleepy and going to bed then. But this would often be before my brain thinks I should be sleeping as I'm naturally a bit of a night owl so my brain would resist lying down. So for a while I went to bed extra early but just tried to read a bit to adjust my brain to my idea of sleep.
Show threadCetrariaOct 19

@treehugger @Frieke72 @tomkindlon @mecfs That's a really good idea. I've also had to kind of give up the idea of a "dangerous nap" in the sense that taking a nap too late or too long might interfere with that night's sleep.

If my body needs to reset at 7pm or if I fall asleep for 3 hours in the middle of the day, it's because my body really needs it. When I was healthy, that might have disrupted my next night's sleep. But now it just means I need rest when my body is sending strong signals that it's needed.

Show threadLyndsay BarwellOct 19
@Cetraria @Frieke72 @tomkindlon @mecfs definitely the "dangerous nap" advice is for well people. Along with advice to exert oneself.
Show threadFriekeOct 19

@treehugger wholeheartedly agree. I was outside and walked a bit today (a better day). Yesterday my parents visited and I did 15minutes of gardening.

My routine now is bedrest after. Usually an hour sleep. Really need that and doesn't seem to influence my night sleep quality.
LongCovid is exhausting

@Cetraria @tomkindlon @mecfs

Show threadLyndsay BarwellOct 19
@Frieke72 @Cetraria @tomkindlon @mecfs I found sleep harder at my most severe as my brain would wake up at 6pm, not feel ready for sleep till after midnight because of that and then wake up by 8am but not feel awake at all. More energy has improved sleep and vice versa.
Show threadCetrariaOct 19

@treehugger @Frieke72 @tomkindlon @mecfs this has very much been my experience too. When I was at my most severe, I was only able to get two hours of sleep a night, no matter what I did. Meditating, medicating, it made little difference.

As I've gotten better at pacing, as I've found better treatments, and my nervous system has found some measure of peace, I'm usually able to at least be asleep for 8 hours. I have fewer nights where I struggle to fall asleep and/or wake up too early and can't get back to sleep. Usually when I do, it means I've overdone it the previous day.

Show threadLyndsay BarwellOct 19
@Cetraria @Frieke72 @tomkindlon @mecfs yes, it's a fine balance with exertion. If I do something too strenuous, which I'm pretty good at avoiding nowadays, it's harder to sleep. But nowadays if I do a bit more than usual but not too strenuous, I can get a longer restful sleep. But when you're more severe that can be impossible to do. There's no quick fix for sleep which means it can be hard to know if something is making a difference and keep doing things.
Show threadCetrariaOct 18
@Frieke72 @tomkindlon @mecfs I definitely need to try yoga nidra. I used to get a lot of mileage out of the sleep stories on the calm app. I might need to revisit that. I also like the idea of audio books at a lower speed, I wasn't aware that was an option.
Show threadLyndsay BarwellOct 19
@Cetraria @Frieke72 @tomkindlon @mecfs I used ally boothroyd's middle of the night series on YouTube.
Show threadFriekeOct 19

@Cetraria
These I find nice.
https://youtu.be/FhCZSmuAlTQ

https://youtu.be/kG9jZjwkaEY

https://youtu.be/BALTOxc0xJY

https://youtu.be/OdPLbJvB0zI (with music)

https://youtu.be/F6pP-Hxpadc

There are also more 'esoteric' yogi esp. the indian ones.

And easy breathwork
https://youtu.be/jkn4pRmTGkM

https://youtu.be/c1DSUBE5tAc

Hope this helps you on your sleepy way 😊

@mecfs

40 Minute Yoga Nidra for Deep Relaxation

YouTube
Show threadCetrariaOct 19
@Frieke72 @mecfs Thanks so much, I'll definitely check these out!
Show threadGravitationOct 22

@Cetraria @Frieke72 @mecfs 40 minutes sometimes feel overwhelming to me, so I collected a number of super short Yoga Nidras:
https://www.youtube.com/watch_videos?video_ids=aA9CLENWJww,4VKyi9V_IK4,zpVVxgSx2lk,_noquwycq78,IcwdJcaCRD8,zcJ9vbzPdI8,o4N7lPOxtW8,SBk8q8xSIwo,Vs1xCHuQp-Q,-T5E3pdt9SQ,kPO_mS_2saQ,sHcvhwp0Erk

I try to throw them in as often as I can during the day.

5 Minute Yoga Nidra | Guided Meditation

This 5 Minute Yoga Nidra | Guided Meditation is great anytime you want to relax and recharge your whole system, but are short on time. During this yoga nidr...

YouTube
Show threadFriekeOct 22

@gravitation Great you found some that work for you! It's a bit of a search.

I tend to have a hard time relaxing so need at least 20minutes 😊

@Cetraria @mecfs