{"id":27312,"date":"2023-03-10T06:03:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-10T06:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.saatva.com\/?p=27312"},"modified":"2023-04-03T21:25:03","modified_gmt":"2023-04-03T21:25:03","slug":"ms-and-sleep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/ms-and-sleep\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Keep MS From Ruining Your Sleep"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease<\/a> that affects the central nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. An estimated one million Americans live with MS. Pain, muscle spasms, fatigue, and other MS symptoms can affect someone\u2019s entire life\u2014including their sleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen someone has multiple sclerosis, their immune system attacks their brain and spinal cord,\u201d says Jacob Hascalovici, MD, PhD, co-founder and chief medical officer of clearing.com<\/a>. \u201cDuring these attacks, nerve coatings get damaged and the nerves cannot easily relay messages as well, so the body and brain have trouble communicating.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hascalovici adds that the difficulties of dealing with MS and the pain that often goes along with it can be tiring enough on their own\u2014but many of the medications used to treat MS can also make it difficult to get enough sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MS and sleep: What\u2019s the connection? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Hascalovici explains that there may be other factors contributing to the challenge of getting enough sleep while living with MS\u2014including vitamin D deficiency, being sedentary, issues related to muscle function or bladder control, and emotional challenges like the depression<\/a> that can accompany MS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fatigue<\/a> affects up to 90% of people with MS. Bladder issues are also common. Nocturia<\/a>, when the need to urinate<\/a> can wake someone from their sleep, affects as many as half of those with MS. As if these aren\u2019t enough, chronic pain<\/a> can leave someone only dreaming of a good night\u2019s sleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMS can also disrupt the body\u2019s circadian rhythm<\/a>, which regulates the sleep-wake cycle, leading to difficulties falling or staying asleep,\u201d says Sean Marchese, RN with The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com<\/a>.  He adds that medications to reduce inflammation during MS flare-ups, such as corticosteroids, can cause insomnia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOverall, people with MS often report problems with sleep,\u201d says Marchese, \u201cand addressing these issues may improve the overall quality of life and disease management.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MS and other conditions that affect sleep <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sleep disturbances are extremely common<\/a> in people with MS. These include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n