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If you have multiple sclerosis (MS), getting a good night’s rest may seem elusive. According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, you’re three times as likely to have sleep disturbances as those without the condition, and twice as likely to experience a reduced quality of sleep.
Common problems include insomnia (difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep), hypersomnia (sleeping too much), narcolepsy (uncontrollable lapses into sleep), sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome (characterized by abnormal movements during sleep).
“Almost half my patients with multiple sclerosis demonstrate sleep problems,” says Ali Najar, MD, who specializes in pulmonology/critical care and sleep medicine at Saint Joseph Mercy Health System in Auburn Hills, Michigan. In order to find relief, “it is very important to pinpoint what kind of sleep disturbance we are dealing with,” he says. Here are the most common symptoms that can interfere with your rest—and a few solutions.
