Fibromyalgia is a chronic health condition that causes pain throughout the body and affects the joints, muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues. The cause of fibromyalgia is not understood and there are no treatments to cure the condition. Sleep problems seem to go hand-in-hand with the pains caused by fibromyalgia. Dietary changes may help improve the quality of sleep and boost daytime energy levels.
Sleep and Fibromyalgia
Patients with fibromyalgia often experience chronic sleep disturbances, including insomnia and early morning wakings. If you have these symptoms, you may awaken feeling unrefreshed. Sleep studies have shown that fibromyalgia patients spend less time in the deepest stages of sleep and experience more frequent night waking. Disrupted sleep contributes to chronic fatigue, heightened sensitivity to pain and mood changes including depression and anxiety. In addition, poor sleep quality may impact your body's repair capacity. Small micro-tears in muscle resulting from normal everyday use may accumulate and cause pain.
Effects of Caffeine
Caffeine may worsen the the sleep disturbances that fibromyalgia patients experience. Drinking too much caffeine may also cause restlessness, anxiety, muscle tremors, irritability, gastrointestinal distress and rapid heart rate. People react to caffeine in different ways. You body size, medications and health history, such as anxiety disorders, all contribute to your ability to tolerate caffeine. Individuals with a sensitivity may experience unpleasant side effects and sleep disruption from just one or two servings of caffeine-containing foods.
Caffeine Amounts
The amount of caffeine in green tea varies with the source of the leaves and the length of time that the tea is brewed. A 6-oz. serving of Stash Premium Green Tea contains 26 mg of caffeine. A 16-oz. bottle of Arizona Green Iced Tea contains 15 mg. In comparison, a small cup of generic brewed coffee contains between 95 and 200 mg of caffeine.
Lowering Intake
If you are trying to reduce your caffeine intake, start by recording all sources that contribute to your total consumption. These may include coffee, tea, soft drinks, energy drinks, chocolate and medications that contain caffeine. Eliminating caffeine abruptly -- such as by quitting "cold turkey"-- produces symptoms of caffeine withdrawal in many people. You may experience headache, fatigue, mood disturbances, impaired mental and physical performance, lethargy, depression and anxiety. These side effects may be serious and debilitating until they pass. Instead, try to reduce your caffeine intake gradually by cutting out one serving of green tea or other caffeine-containing food daily. Alternatively, you may start by brewing your green tea for a shorter time to lower the caffeine in each serving. After your body has adjusted to the change, continue to cut back slowly until you reach your target.
References
- "American Journal of Medical Science"; Sleep in Fibromyalgia Patients: Subjective and Objective Findings; S.M. Harding; June 1998
- FamilyDoctor.org: FIbromyalgia
- MayoClinic.com: Caffeine: How Much Is Too Much?
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Fibromyalgia
- MayoClinic.com: Caffeine Content for Coffee, Tea, Soda and More
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