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- Hi, I'm Vicki Ruffing.
I'm the director of patient education
at the John Hopkins Arthritis Center.
Today we're going to talk a little bit about sleep
and psoriatic arthritis.
Many people have trouble falling asleep
or staying asleep.
This is true of patients with psoriatic arthritis
and other inflammatory arthritides.
Lack of restful sleep can cause confusion,
difficulty with concentration,
inability to do leisure activities,
irritability, and daytime sleepiness.
Sleep problems may be a result of sleep apnea, depression,
pain, or certain medications.
Make sure you're taking your arthritis medications
as prescribed.
Controlling inflammation may improve your sleep.
Obstructive sleep apnea may be related
to the chronic inflammation experienced
in people with psoriatic arthritis.
Some common signs of sleep apnea are things like
excessive sleepiness during the day, snoring,
episodes of not breathing
or gasping for air while you sleep.
If you wake up with a dry mouth, dry throat, or headache,
you may also have sleep apnea.
If you experience any of these symptoms
talk to your doctor about getting a sleep study.
Depression, even mild depression, can interfere with sleep.
Waking early, insomnia, trouble staying asleep,
and even excessive sleepiness
are all symptoms of depression.
Other symptoms you may notice are anxiety, hopelessness,
a lack of interest in things
that may have caused you pleasure in the past,
mood swings, sadness, extreme hunger or loss of appetite,
excessive crying, and thoughts of suicide.
If you suspect you may have depression
discuss this with your doctor.
Some medications may also contribute to sleeplessness.
One is the steroid, prednisone.
This can cause insomnia, agitation, or depression.
Take it early in the day if possible.
If you suspect your medications
are giving you problems with sleep
discuss this with your doctor.
If pain is preventing you from getting to sleep
you may need to adjust the time
you take your pain medications
to about one hour before bedtime.
Also, try a warm bath before bedtime.
There are additional things you can do
to try to improve your sleep.
Take a look at your bedroom.
You want your bedroom to be a place for sleep.
This means no TV, no sorting laundry all over your bed,
not even texting and talking on the phone.
It should be cool, 68 to 70 degrees.
It should be noise free.
Get earplugs if your room is noisy or your partner snores.
A fan or a white noise machine
will also help in managing any distracting noises.
Make sure you bed has enough support.
Get comfortable pillows, especially if you are having pain.
It can be more comfortable to support a painful shoulder,
hip, or a knee for example, with a pillow.
Make sure your room is dark.
Get blackout curtains if you need them.
Also, there are several apps available
to help you relax and get to sleep.
Get regular exercise and this can help you sleep,
but do not exercise within three hours of going to bed.
Eliminate caffeine.
Avoid naps.
Don't drink alcohol.
Don't eat a large meal near bedtime.
Try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
And avoid bright lights
and electronic devices before bedtime.
In summary,
you can take control over some of your sleep problems.
Thank you.
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