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People with arthritis are about three times more likely to have trouble sleeping, according to a new report.
RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Everyone occasionally has problems sleeping. But if you have arthritis, your insomnia may be more than a sometime event. In fact, new data shows you’re nearly three times more likely to have problems sleeping than someone without the condition.
THE DETAILS: To investigate the connection between arthritis and problems sleeping, researchers assessed data from the 2007 National Health Interview Study, in which about 23,000 U.S. residents were interviewed face-to-face about their health, including sleep problems. The analysis found that 23 percent of Americans with arthritis, or 10.2 million adults, reported insomnia; 11 percent reported excessive daytime sleepiness, and 7.3 percent said they slept less than six hours a night.
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Further analysis, however, found that the primary cause of sleep problems was not the arthritis itself, but the joint pain and mobility issues resulting from the disease. In other words, if your condition is controlled and you don’t have any pain, you probably don’t have any problems sleeping. Other contributors to insomnia included smoking, using alcohol, and, in particular, being depressed or anxious.
WHAT IT MEANS: The message from the study is that you need to find a way to relieve your arthritis pain and any co-occurring depression or anxiety so you can get a good night’s sleep. This is particularly important since other studies find that restful sleep can reduce arthritis pain!
While medication may certainly be a part of your anti-pain plan, you might also try:
• Exercise. You’ve probably heard this a lot, but the evidence is real: Exercise can relieve arthritis pain, depression, and insomnia. Start with a short walk in the late afternoon and gradually increase the amount of time you walk until you’re getting at least 30 minutes a day. See our stories Getting Enough Exercise Is Easier than You Think and Strengthen Your Willpower to Make Exercising Easier for help getting motivated.
