A study from Norway suggests that poor sleep habits may increase the risk of fibromyalgia in women. Fibromyalgia is a syndrome with symptoms including long term pain throughout the body with increased muscle and joint tenderness. The risk of developing fibromyalgia increased with more severe sleep problems. The connection appears stronger among women who were past middle age as compared to younger women.

This is interesting because about 5 million people in the US suffer from fibromyalgia and most are women. Prior scientific studies have shown that waking at night, fatigue and insomnia are common in people with the condition. This study shows that the sleep problems occur before the patients develop fibromyalgia. Dr. Paul Mork explained “Our findings indicate a strong association between sleep disturbance and fibromyalgia risk in adult women. We found a dose-response relation, where women who often reported sleep problems had a greater risk of fibromyalgia than those who never experienced sleep problems.”

While many people suffer from insomnia or waking at night, others suffer sleep disturbances because of their bed partner’s sleep problems. Loud snoring or the snoring and gasping sounds of a bed partner with sleep apnea provide continual interruptions throughout the night for both parties. The big difference is the partner with sleep apnea doesn’t remember the wakings but the exhausted spouse can detail the night all too clearly.

If a bed partner’s sleep issues are affecting your health it is time to get a diagnosis and put a stop to the snoring once and for all. Not everyone that snores has obstructive sleep apnea but an oral appliance created by Columbus area sleep medicine dentist Dr. Mark Levy can quiet that snore and allow an open, quiet airway all night long.

For more information please contact StoneRidge Dental Care at 614-476-6696 today.