I remember how Fridays were the toughest days of the week. I would drag myself to work knowing that I had hardly slept the entire week. My anxiety level was through the roof, my brain fog was horrible, my energy level was at its lowest and the pain was intense. It seemed like every Friday, I was having to apologize to my boss and let him know that I was just not sleeping well. I did not know how precious sleep is until I couldn’t sleep anymore.
Thankfully, things have changed for the better. My energy level has increased, my anxiety is controllable, my brain fog diminished significantly, and the occurrence of acute pain has lessened. My sleeping habits are not perfect (yet) but I do sleep at night on a regular basis. Even if I have a night where I can’t sleep, I have found ways to still find rest.
Don’t feel like reading this entire article? Feel free to skip to step four for the bedtime routine or sign up for the pdf version at the very bottom.
1. Why Prioritize Sleep?
My Lyme Literate Medical Doctor (LLMD)(3) advised me one day that the most important thing he needed to do was to improve my sleep even before addressing my Lyme symptoms. I knew I wasn’t sleeping much but I just did not realize how much sleep deprivation was affecting me and aggravating my Lyme symptoms.
In my research, I found that sleep-deprived people are affected by the following (this is for one to two nights of sleep deprivation)(1&2):
Mind
- impaired performance on tests of comprehension
- poor concentration
- impaired creativity and problem-solving
- may contribute to age-related disease such as loss of mental acuity
Body
- increased appetite
- drop in body temperature
- increased sensitivity to pain
Immune System
- the immune system is slower and weaker
- even brief loss of sleep affects the numbers and kinds of disease-fighting cells and chemicals the immune system makes
Emotions
- more anxious
- bad moods
- trouble handling stress
- increased irritability,
- impatient
- apathetic
- increased hostility
- loss of control over emotions
Performance
- affected job performance
- concentration, working memory, mathematical capacity, and logical reasoning are noticeably altered
- may lead to costly, preventable mistakes
I don’t know about you but most of these sound very familiar to me. However, my sleep deprivation was not for one or two nights but for months if not years. I now understand why my doctor wanted to address my sleeping issues first.
Even though sleep issues are symptoms of Lyme Disease (4), I have identified other factors that have contributed to my sleeplessness.
2. Identify Why You Can’t Sleep
Since contracting Lyme Disease, I remind myself of Goldilocks. Just like her, certain things must be just right in order for me to fall asleep. I am highly sensitive to my surroundings and even the slightest change can affect my sleep. Pain or stomach issues have also been the culprits of sleepless nights.
Below I have identified a few things that might keep you up at night:
Room Temperature
- the bedroom temperature needs to be 70-71 degrees for me
Body Temperature
- my head is too hot or too cold (wear a loose hat/run a fan)
- thick Pajama material
- too hot at night during the summer (run a fan)
- cold feet (cover them with a folded blanket)
Noise/Light
- any noise needs to be calming
- turn off even the smallest light or noise
- extremely light sleeper
Digestion issues
- eating too much or too late at night
- undigested food/bloated stomach
- indigestion/heartburn
- acute pain from gas/other digestive issues
Pain
- back/neck pain
- restless legs (elevate your legs)
- arthritis, etc. (pain creme)
Mind
- analyzing, again and again, the events of the day
- use of electronics
- lose track of time
- not sleepy but alert
- anxiety/fear/anger
- nightmares/paranoia
Identifying and addressing what is keeping me up helps get me to sleep faster.
3. How Much Sleep?
I do not have a set answer as to the number of hours a person with a chronic illness should be sleeping. There are too many variables involved such as age, a natural long or short sleeper, level of health, quality of sleep, etc. (1). However, if you are sluggish or your attention wanders and you are sleepy during the day, you might not be getting enough sleep(1). Another sure sign that I need more sleep is that I am extremely irritable and tired.
Some Lyme infected people see an increase in the amount of sleep that they need. This is not unique to those with Lyme Disease but also those with other chronic illnesses. Why is this? Well, we have all felt the overwhelming need to sleep when fighting an infection so how much more when it is a chronic illness that we are fighting(1).
Specifically, there is an increase in the production of the white blood cells that fight invading microorganisms while you sleep(1). To prove this, Canadian researchers studied immune cells in good and poor sleepers. They found that good sleepers had higher levels of immune cells in their bodies than the poor sleepers(1).
When my Lyme Disease was at its worst, I remember sleeping more and needing it. Now that I am better, I do need fewer hours of sleep but more than the recommended eight hours. However, there are still times where I feel the need to sleep more and I do. For how I deal with really bad Lyme days, click here.
4. A Quiet Bedtime Routine(1)
Establishing a quiet time slows me down and prepares my mind and body for sleep. Since I don’t feel sleepy before bed, I have to set a time for this quiet time (one hour before bedtime). You may need to let others know not to interrupt you during this time. Here are some other suggestions for a quiet time routine:
1. Exercise everyday
Exercising helps increase your body temperature and makes you tired for a better night’s sleep. Exercising on a daily basis can also help with restless legs at night. However, if it close to your bedtime, it is advised that you make it a light stroll(1).
2. Eat a light, early dinner
Nowadays, the number one thing that keeps me up at night is my stomach. If you have this issue, allow your food to digest 2-3 hours prior to going to bed (7). Drinking a cup of warm (almond) milk or herbal tea instead of a heavy meal right before bed is also recommended(1). Click here for my favorite article on acid reflux.
3. Take a detoxing bath
A warm bath relaxes the muscles and prepares the body for rest. The link above also has ways to detox while bathing. Also, I have read of people alternating infrared therapy (or rifing) with a detoxing bath for Lyme Disease(x). On really busy days, I will combine my evening devotional (step 8) with my bath by playing it on my kindle.
4. Turn off electronics and dim the lights
Turn off the computer, TV, tablet, cell phones, bright lights (or use a desk lamp), etc. These type of interruptions erode sleep quality, and they can cause daytime sleepiness as great as losing several hours of sleep can(1).
5. Regulate Bedroom & Body temperature
The temperature in your bedroom can keep you up at night(1) so be sure to regulate it. For my body, I tend to use a light woven hat for my cold head and wear light pajama material during the winter. Also, I have found that covering my cold feet with an extra blanket on the end of the bed helps me fall asleep faster. Layering my bed with blankets works well as this allows me to easily remove a layer during the night. During the summer, I run a fan and wear even lighter pajama material.
6. Sleep on it
There is nothing worse for your health than out of control worry, anger, fear, and any other bad emotion, especially right before bed. At the end of the day, when everyone is tired, it is best to just ignore them. Avoid any confrontation or argument and just sleep on it. Sleep in a separate room if that helps. Most of the time, I have found that these emotions are gone in the morning. Proverbs 19:11, Psalm 4:8, Psalm 37:8
7. Address the pain
There is nothing like pain to keep you up all night. Whether it is the joints, back, stomach or something else, the pain seems to worsen at night. That is why every night I use some sort of pain creme (or Vicks/vinegar) on my back and joints, stretch and drink aloe vera for my stomach. If you have pain due to clenching your jaw, ask your dentist about a night guard.
8. End your day with God
The worries and cares of the day can overwhelm a person with a chronic illness. However, our heavenly Father is a fountain that overflows with all good things. So, every night I go to him and he heals my wounds, speaks truth to my soul and He carries my burdens for me. I go to Him just as I am and I confess all my sins that are burdening me. Spend time in prayer and in the bible tonight for He is a good heavenly Father who knows how to care for his child. Be sure to ask Him for sleep.
Many times while playing a sermon, I will work on my paint by number, crochet, color or do something else that relaxes me.
5. Getting to Sleep
Many times it is not the quantity of sleep that seems to be the issue but the quality of sleep for those with a chronic illness. Sleep supplements or pills can be quite helpful. For suggestions on what sleep supplements to take, see your local nutrition store, Healing Lyme for a full list (p.222) or go here (and of course speak to your doctor first). Your doctor can also recommend non-habit forming sleeping pills. I have used GABA or Melatonin but these may not work for you so check with your doctor first.
When taking a sleep supplement, be sure to read the side effects. Most of them seem to work well in the short-term but create issues in the long-term. Even herbs have side effects that have irritated my stomach at night.
Since I am no longer able to take pills at night, I do one or a couple of the following:
- Have someone pray that I will sleep
- Meditate/memorize a verses (over and over again)
- Pray for others (especially that they will sleep)
- Play an audio bible or music (something calming)
- Play the same music over and over again
- Watch An Abide Video
- Use Vetiver Essential Oil (two drops on your forhead)
6. Staying Asleep
The second hardest thing after getting to sleep is staying asleep. I always seem to wake-up during the night. According to experts, disruptions reduce sleep’s ability to restore and refresh(1). The more frequently you awaken, the greater the effect(1). Basically, I use most of the same tips mentioned in step 5. Healing Lyme also has a list of herbs specifically for bolting awake in the middle of the night (p.222,1.6,B). Below are some tips:
- Eat a light snack (avoid this if you have stomach issues)
- Drink herbal tea or
- aloe vera (for the stomach)
- Play music or the bible (something calming)
- Meditate/memorize on a verse of the bible
- Pray for everyone and everything
- Pray for sleep
7. When to Sleep
Before finding my Lyme Literate Medical Doctor (LLMD), I noticed that the only time I could sleep well was from 5 to 8 am. Since this was the best sleep I could get, I changed my schedule at work to be able to sleep during these hours. If you think it will help you, see if you can do the same.
I have read so many articles about getting up and going to bed at the same time. However, as a chronically ill person, I do go to bed at the same time but getting up is another issue. Mornings are so difficult with a chronic illness that on really bad days I generally get up later. If I must get up early, I am sure to take a nap in the afternoon or go to bed earlier.
8. Still Can’t Sleep?
When I absolutely can’t get to sleep, I have found that resting is the best alternative. Resting at night has helped me to be able to have an active day, stay more alert, and just feel better. Below are some suggestions to help you rest at night:
Resting your body
To get enough rest, close your eyes and lay in bed until the morning comes. This can be extremely difficult to do but you will feel so much better in the morning. It won’t be the same as a full nights sleep but you won’t be as lethargic.
Renewing your mind
There is something about spending time with God that refreshes and restores me. I may not have slept well but at times I am more ready for the day than with eight hours of deep sleep. Sometimes I pray or meditate on a verse over and over. Other times I listen to the bible on my stereo or a sermon on my kindle (covering the light). Playing calming gospel music may also help.
9. A Few Words of Advice
Your body may reject your sleeping pills/supplements in the long-term. After using the same sleeping pills/supplements for a few months or years, your body may start to have issues with them. For example, I started to have dizzy spells with L-Tryptophan and stomach problems with the others. However, I just switched to something else or addressed the stomach problems by using a liquid/sublingual form (5). Be sure to talk to your doctor first.
Drink plenty of water with any pills. I think that the main reason why I can no longer take sleep supplements via a pill at night is that I did not take them with enough water. As a result, I was waking up a night with really bad stomach pain.
Address the digestive issues. Lately, the main reason I can’t sleep comes from digestive issues. There is not a sleeping pill or bedtime routine that will keep me asleep if I have acid reflux. Click here for my favorite article on acid reflux(7).
Try to nap in the afternoon. Napping is actually common among people with information overload(1). The benefits of a nap include dispelling bad moods, restoring concentration, faster reaction times, and better performance on tasks. Longer naps seem to have the most benefit and researchers state that it serves as an antidote to burnout(1).
Constantly feel the need to go at night? Be sure to go to the restroom prior to bedtime. A good probiotic with MOS has helped alleviate this issue for me.
Feel free to add your sleeping tips below in the comments area.
All the statements included herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please consult your doctor first.
Sources:
- Brynie, Faith Hickman, 101 Questions About Sleep And Dreams That Kept You Awake, Twenty-First Century Books, 2006
- http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/consequences/sleep-performance-and-public-safety
- Dr. Beals, LLMD
- http://www.allaboutgod.com/sleep-in-the-bible.htm
- https://www.researchednutritionals.com/library/lyme/dr-burrascanos-advanced-topics-in-lyme-disease/
- Buhner, Stephen Harrod, Healing Lyme: Natural Healing of Lyme Borreliosis and the Coinfections Chlamydia and Spotted Fever Rickettsioses, 2nd Edition, Raven Press, 2015
- https://draxe.com/acid-reflux-symptoms/
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