A Letter From A GPer to A Friend/Family Member

I wrote this letter as a note on my public Gastroparesis Facebook page (www.facebook.com/emilysstomach) today, trying to get out how I feel while trying to get other people to understand how lonely gastroparesis can be. I wanted to get out my feelings and I wanted to try and let my friends and family know why I am the way I am right now. It's not because I don't want to go out, and it's not because I don't want to spend time with them - smells from a movie theatre make me ill and I'm worried I'll vomit in the middle of a movie or an outing, embarrassing myself. So, I wanted to write a letter to them to help them understand why I am usually home but that I don't like to be home by myself. I would definitely welcome company. This illness is isolating and it is depressing after a while because people give up on you. No one wants to call you to ask you to hang out knowing you will say no and no one really wants to come over to your house to hang out when they want to go out and see a brand new movie they've been waiting months for. So, I wanted to put how I felt down in words. You'll find those words below:



Dear Friends and Family,

We are fighters. We are overlooked because our illness is invisible...but the pain is visible behind our eyes if you look closely. We are strong...we have to be stronger than most in order to survive on a day to day basis. We are all from different walks of life. You may not know we suffer, but we do. Gastroparesis can touch anyone at any age - children, teenagers, adults, the elderly...and there still isn't enough research to determine why.


GP is caused when the vagus nerve is damaged, and nerve damage in any other part of the body is severely painful, so imagine having nerve damage in your stomach where you have a lot more nerves, sensitive nerves. Vagus nerve damage can be caused by a variety of factors, like diabetes, and other reasons.

People tell us gastroparesis shouldn't hurt, but it does. If other people go to the doctor and tell the doctor they have nerve damage in their knees or their back, they're treated for pain and it's understood that nerve damage there hurts, so why would nerve damage in the stomach, with the most sensitive nerves not be as painful or more painful?

If you meet someone with gastroparesis, please be kind. We are all fighting a battle to stay alive, not to starve to death, and to try to be as normal as possible. We miss being able to eat during holidays and to take part in things that we used to. Most of us can't because we lack the energy, which stems from lack of nutrition, but it's not by our choice.

If you know someone with gastroparesis, be kind to them. Give them a hug. Invite them out anyway and if they can't go out with you, please try to make an effort to go to them to spend time with them at their house. Loneliness is hard and so is isolation. We miss company and being social. Some of us just need to be near a bathroom but we miss our friends and family.

Most of the time we feel like we live in a prison we can't escape from. Just please try to be patient and try to understand what it's like walking in our shoes. It's a hard road, and all we need is a little bit of support and understanding. That would mean everything to us if people took a little bit of time to understand what we go through on a daily basis and still wanted to be around us, despite all of this. It would make us cry with joy just to have people understand, come over, and even do something low key like watch a movie with us. It would mean more to us than you would ever know, just that simple act of kindness.

We are not making excuses when we say we cannot go out. We are not trying to avoid anyone. We aren't trying to hurt anyone's feelings. We feel devastated enough that we have to stay home most of the time, but that doesn't mean you're not welcome to come over and visit. We would love that. So, for those of you who have friends with #DTP or Gastroparesis, please know that it's NOT you or anything you did - not your fault at all, we just cannot do the things we used to do and that kills us a little bit inside. It's just as hard for us to adjust to this as it is for you.

We want normal back, or as close to normal as we can get. So please, try to make the effort to come over to our house and distract us. We need it. We need the happiness you inject into our lives. We need you. We need our friends and family and support. You are our lifeline to the outside world. You don't realize how important you are to us, but you really are. Thank you for being a friend, even though we know it's hard on you. Thank you for being you.



Sincerely,
GPers Everywhere


**Please support my Facebook page, where I wrote this note to depict how I was feeling today, by kindly clicking on “like” to show your support and to raise awareness for gastroparesis on Facebook: www.facebook.com/emilysstomach

Sleep Deprivation's Effects on the Brain and Your Body

Sleep Deprivation



The immediate effects of skimping on sleep are obvious. You're groggy, unfocused, sluggish and dying for a nap (or a second cup of coffee). Then there are the sneakier signs you're overtired: You're overly emotional, starving and clumsier than usual. Most of the time, a solid night's sleep will solve all these problems.

The average adult needs about seven to nine hours of sleep each night, according to the National Sleep Foundation, but most of us don't even get that much. But getting too little sleep - generally understood to mean six hours or less a night - can be serious - enough to change your genes, even! Source HERE.

I have missed several nights of sleeps due to vomiting, nausea, and/or pain. I started to wonder, how will this affect my body long term? So, I started to do some research, curious as to why the doctors never address my sleeping issues. The articles I found were very enlightening.

First, let's address sleep deprivation. What is it? According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, sleep deprivation is,

Sleep deprivation (DEP-rih-VA-shun) is a condition that occurs if you don't get enough sleep. Sleep deficiency is a broader concept. It occurs if you have one or more of the following:

You don't get enough sleep (sleep deprivation)

You sleep at the wrong time of day (that is, you're out of sync with your body's natural clock)

You don't sleep well or get all of the different types of sleep that your body needs

You have a sleep disorder that prevents you from getting enough sleep or causes poor quality sleep



Sleeping is a basic human need, like eating, drinking, and breathing. Like these other needs, sleeping is a vital part of the foundation for good health and well-being throughout your lifetime.

Sleep deficiency can lead to physical and mental health problems, injuries, loss of productivity, and even a greater risk of death. To understand sleep deficiency, it helps to understand how sleep works and why it's important. The two basic types of sleep are rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM.

Non-REM sleep includes what is commonly known as deep sleep or slow wave sleep. Dreaming typically occurs during REM sleep. Generally, non-REM and REM sleep occur in a regular pattern of 3–5 cycles each night.



The sleep cycle



Your ability to function and feel well while you're awake depends on whether you're getting enough total sleep and enough of each type of sleep. It also depends on whether you're sleeping at a time when your body is prepared and ready to sleep.

You have an internal "body clock" that controls when you're awake and when your body is ready for sleep. This clock typically follows a 24-hour repeating rhythm (called the circadian rhythm). The rhythm affects every cell, tissue, and organ in your body and how they work.

If you aren't getting enough sleep, are sleeping at the wrong times, or have poor quality sleep, you'll likely feel very tired during the day. You may not feel refreshed and alert when you wake up.

Sleep deficiency can interfere with work, school, driving, and social functioning. You might have trouble learning, focusing, and reacting. Also, you might find it hard to judge other people's emotions and reactions. Sleep deficiency also can make you feel frustrated, cranky, or worried in social situations.

The signs and symptoms of sleep deficiency may differ between children and adults. Children who are sleep deficient might be overly active and have problems paying attention. They also might misbehave, and their school performance can suffer.

Sleep deficiency is a common public health problem in the United States. People in all age groups report not getting enough sleep.

As part of a health survey for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 7–19 percent of adults in the United States reported not getting enough rest or sleep every day.

Nearly 40 percent of adults report falling asleep during the day without meaning to at least once a month. Also, an estimated 50 to 70 million Americans have chronic (ongoing) sleep disorders.

Sleep deficiency is linked to many chronic health problems, including heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and depression [and let's go ahead and add in Gastroparesis].

Sleep deficiency also is associated with an increased risk of injury in adults, teens, and children. For example, driver sleepiness (not related to alcohol) is responsible for serious car crash injuries and death. In the elderly, sleep deficiency might be linked to an increased risk of falls and broken bones.

In addition, sleep deficiency has played a role in human errors linked to tragic accidents, such as nuclear reactor meltdowns, grounding of large ships, and aviation accidents.

A common myth is that people can learn to get by on little sleep with no negative effects. However, research shows that getting enough quality sleep at the right times is vital for mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety.

The Source is HERE.




How much sleep is enough?


The amount of sleep you need each day will change over the course of your life. Although sleep needs vary from person to person, the chart below shows general recommendations for different age groups.



Age Recommended Amount of Sleep
Newborns 16–18 hours a day
Preschool-aged children 11–12 hours a day
School-aged children At least 10 hours a day
Teens 9–10 hours a day
Adults (including the elderly) 7–8 hours a day

If you routinely lose sleep or choose to sleep less than needed, the sleep loss adds up. The total sleep lost is called your sleep debt. For example, if you lose 2 hours of sleep each night, you'll have a sleep debt of 14 hours after a week.

Some people nap as a way to deal with sleepiness. Naps may provide a short-term boost in alertness and performance. However, napping doesn't provide all of the other benefits of night-time sleep. Thus, you can't really make up for lost sleep.

Some people sleep more on their days off than on work days. They also may go to bed later and get up later on days off.

Sleeping more on days off might be a sign that you aren't getting enough sleep. Although extra sleep on days off might help you feel better, it can upset your body's sleep–wake rhythm.

Bad sleep habits and long-term sleep loss will affect your health. If you're worried about whether you're getting enough sleep, try using a sleep diary for a couple of weeks.

Write down how much you sleep each night, how alert and rested you feel in the morning, and how sleepy you feel during the day. Show the results to your doctor and talk about how you can improve your sleep. You can find a sample sleep diary in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's "Your Guide to Healthy Sleep."

Sleeping when your body is ready to sleep also is very important. Sleep deficiency can affect people even when they sleep the total number of hours recommended for their age group.

For example, people whose sleep is out of sync with their body clocks (such as shift workers) or routinely interrupted (such as caregivers or emergency responders) might need to pay special attention to their sleep needs.

If your job or daily routine limits your ability to get enough sleep or sleep at the right times, talk with your doctor. You also should talk with your doctor if you sleep more than 8 hours a night, but don't feel well rested. You may have a sleep disorder or other health problem.




How does Sleep Deprivation Affect the Brain?



The effect of sleep deprivation.




According to Serendip Studio,

"Sleep deprivation is a commonplace occurrence in modern culture. Every day there seems to be twice as much work and half as much time to complete it in. This results in either extended periods of wakefulness or a decrease in sleep over an extended period of time. While some people may like to believe that they can train their bodies to not require as much sleep as they once did this belief is false. Sleep is needed to regenerate certain parts of the body, especially the brain, so that it may continue to function optimally. After periods of extended wakefulness or reduced sleep neurons may begin to malfunction, visibly effecting a person's behavior. Some organs, such as muscles, are able to regenerate even when a person is not sleeping so long as they are resting. This could involve lying awake but relaxed within a quite environment. Even though cognitive functions might not seem necessary in this scenario the brain, especially the cerebral cortex, is not able to rest but rather remains semi-alert in a state of "quiet readiness." Certain stages of sleep are needed for the regeneration of neurons within the cerebral cortex while other stages of sleep seem to be used for forming new memories and generating new synaptic connections. The effects of sleep deprivation on behavior have been tested with relation to the presence of activity in different sections of the cerebral cortex.








The temporal lobe of the cerebral cortex is associated with the processing of language. During verbal learning tests on subjects who are fully rested functional magnetic resonance imaging scans show that this area of the brain is very active. However, in sleep deprived subjects there is no activity within this region. The effects of this inactivity can be observed by the slurred speech in subjects who have gone for prolonged periods with no sleep.

Even severely sleep deprived people are still able to perform to some degree on a verbal learning test. This implies that some other area of the brain must become active to compensate for the loss of temporal lobe functioning. In fact, activity can be seen in the parietal lobe that is not present during verbal learning tests using rested subjects. Greater activity within this region corresponded to better performance by subjects in research studies. Still, sleep deprived people do not perform as well on these tests as do fully rested subjects. One possible reason for the poorer performance after missing sleep, aside from unregenerated neurons, could be the fact that since the parietal lobe is not usually used to performing tasks such as these it is not as adept at carrying them out. Therefore, when control switches from the temporal lobe to the parietal lobe some speed and accuracy is naturally lost. Interestingly, sleep deprived subjects have been shown to have better short-term memory abilities than their well-rested counterparts (6). Since memory is associated with this region of the cerebral cortex the fact that it is already active in sleep deprived people could make it easier for new synapses to be created, thus forming new short-term memories more easily.

While activity is seen within the parietal lobes of rested people as they think through math problems no corresponding activity is visible within the brains of sleep-deprived subjects. Also, no new area of the brain becomes active while the sleep deprived people work on math problems. Since sleep deprived people can still complete math problems, albeit with less speed and accuracy than a well-rested individual, this data implies that a region of the brain already in use is used for this task.

The frontal lobe is the most fascinating section of the brain with relation to sleep deprivation. Its functions are associated with speech as well as novel and creative thinking. Sleep deprived test subjects have difficulties thinking of imaginative words or ideas. Instead, they tend to choose repetitious words or clichéd phrases. Also, a sleep-deprived individual is less able to deliver a statement well. The subject may show signs of slurred speech, stuttering, speaking in a monotone voice, or speaking at a slower pace than usual. Subjects in research studies also have a more difficult time reacting well to unpredicted rapid changes. Sleep deprived people do not have the speed or creative abilities to cope with making quick but logical decisions, nor do they have the ability to implement them well. Studies have demonstrated that a lack of sleep impairs one's ability to simultaneously focus on several different related tasks, reducing the speed as well as the efficiency of one's actions. A person may be able to react to a complex scenario when suddenly presented with it but, similar to the verbal tests, the subject will most likely pick an unoriginal solution. If presented with a similar situation multiple times with slight variations in the information presented the subject chooses the same solution, even though it might not be as applicable to the new scenario.

Part of the frontal lobe, the prefrontal cortex, has several functions specifically coupled with it. Judgment, impulse control, attention, and visual association have all been related to this region of the cerebral cortex. A recent study has shown that the prefrontal cortex, usually the most active area of the brain in rested individuals, becomes more active as a person remains awake for long periods of time. This region regenerates during the first stage of sleep, giving a person the ability to feel somewhat refreshed after only a short nap. The length of the first stage of sleep cycle is somewhat dependent upon how long the person had previously been awake. The longer the period of wakefulness, the longer the brain remains in the first stage of sleep. When the brain enters into the REM stage of sleep the prefrontal cortex is active once more.

The implications of this data seem to be fairly important in supporting the location of the I-function within the brain. The prefrontal cortex is active whenever a person is awake, no matter how little sleep they have had. Also, this area is active while dreaming. Since the individual is aware of him or herself during both of these instances, but is not aware during the stages of sleep when the prefrontal cortex is shut down, it seems logical that the I-function is located within this region. This indicates that the I-function is what is resting and regenerating during the first stage of sleep. It would be interesting to study prefrontal cortex activity while a person is conscious, but unaware of his or her actions, due to an influence such as drugs or alcohol. According to the results of the sleep deprivation studies little or no activity should be seen in the prefrontal cortex at anytime when the individual is unaware of his or herself.

One of the symptoms of prolonged sleep deprivation is hallucinations. This could also be related to the I-function since it is the system that integrates the input from all other areas of the brain. If the neurons composing the I-function become too taxed then the picture in the head that the I-function produces may be more dissimilar from reality than usual. The neurons, under pressure to continue functioning but unable to perform optimally, create an image useful enough for a person to see most of his or her surroundings. Metabolic activity in the prefrontal cortex can drop as much as eleven percent after a person has missed sleep for only twenty four hours. As a person loses more sleep or continues to receive less-than-adequate amounts of sleep the neurons become even more taxed and the I-function may begin to generate even less coherent images possibly resulting in temporary insanity.

Another piece of evidence supporting the location of the I-function is that mammals have REM sleep whereas cold-blooded animals do not and mammals have a neocortex, located within the prefrontal cortex, while cold-blooded animals do not. REM sleep stimulates areas of the brain used for learning and memory. When a person is taught a new skill his or her performance does not improve until he or she receives at least eight hours of sleep. An extended period of sleep ensures that the brain will be able to complete the full sleep cycle, including REM sleep. The necessity of sleep for learning could be due to the fact that sleep increases the production of proteins while reducing the rate at which they are broken down. Proteins are used to regenerate the neurons within the brain. Without them new synapses may not be able to be formed, thus limiting the amount of information a sleep-deprived individual can maintain.

One of the possible side effects of a continued lack of sleep is death. Usually this is the result of the fact that the immune system is weakened without sleep. The number of white blood cells within the body decreases, as does the activity of the remaining white blood cells. The body also decreases the amount of growth hormone produced. The ability of the body to metabolize sugar declines, turning sugar into fat. One study stated that people who sleep less than four hours per night are three times more likely to die within the next six years. Although the longest a human has remained awake was eleven days rats that are continually deprived of sleep die within two to five weeks, generally due to their severely weakened immune system.

In a way sleep deprivation studies help us to study the relationship between the brain and behavior in a very unique way by observing how a person's behavior changes as the brain shuts down. By taking images of the brain showing where activity is located it is possible to correlate the behavior exhibited by a subject with his or her brain patterns. Just like a person cannot jog for three continuous days a person's brain cannot operate without rest breaks. Since different regions of the brain rest during different stages of the sleep cycle, sleep cannot be cut short.

In fact, if the brain does not receive a break it will soon begin to shut down for periods of micro-sleep. This is essentially several seconds of actual sleep; delta waves that interrupt the regular EEG of an awake person thereby impairing his or her continuity of cognitive function. Micro-sleep generally happens directly before performance failure occurs. Without sleep our brains deteriorate, and if the argument that brain=behavior is true, then our behavior will also suffer accordingly."

What are the Signs/Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation?

Sleep deficiency can cause you to feel very tired during the day. You may not feel refreshed and alert when you wake up. Sleep deficiency also can interfere with work, school, driving, and social functioning.

How sleepy you feel during the day can help you figure out whether you're having symptoms of problem sleepiness. You might be sleep deficient if you often feel like you could doze off while:

Sitting and reading or watching TV

Sitting still in a public place, such as a movie theater, meeting, or classroom

Riding in a car for an hour without stopping

Sitting and talking to someone

Sitting quietly after lunch

Sitting in traffic for a few minutes

Sleep deficiency can cause problems with learning, focusing, and reacting. You may have trouble making decisions, solving problems, remembering things, controlling your emotions and behavior, and coping with change. You may take longer to finish tasks, have a slower reaction time, and make more mistakes.

The signs and symptoms of sleep deficiency may differ between children and adults. Children who are sleep deficient might be overly active and have problems paying attention. They also might misbehave, and their school performance can suffer.

Sleep-deficient children may feel angry and impulsive, have mood swings, feel sad or depressed, or lack motivation.

You may not notice how sleep deficiency affects your daily routine. A common myth is that people can learn to get by on little sleep with no negative effects. However, research shows that getting enough quality sleep at the right times is vital for mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety.

To find out whether you're sleep deficient, try keeping a sleep diary for a couple of weeks. Write down how much you sleep each night, how alert and rested you feel in the morning, and how sleepy you feel during the day. Source is HERE.


There are ten top ten reasons for sleep deprivation check list if you're still skeptical that can be found HERE.



Top Ten Things Sleep Deprivation Will do to You

According to Web MD, lack of sleep will:

1. Sleepiness Causes Accidents
2. Sleep Loss Dumbs You Down
3. Sleep Deprivation Can Lead to Serious Health Problems
4. Lack of Sleep Kills Sex Drive
5. Sleepiness Is Depressing
6. Lack of Sleep Ages Your Skin
7. Sleepiness Makes You Forgetful
8. Losing Sleep Can Make You Gain Weight
9. Lack of Sleep May Increase Risk of Death
10. Sleep Loss Impairs Judgment, Especially About Sleep

Source is HERE.



According to Tuck, Advancing Better Sleep,

"GI Issues and Sleep
LAST UPDATED ON JANUARY 29, 2018

Anyone who’s living with IBD, GERD, or even the occasional bout of indigestion or heartburn knows that a poor night’s sleep only makes you feel worse.

In fact, GI issues and sleep are so interconnected that scientists have literally referred to the relationship as a chicken-and-egg problem.



Why Stomach Problems Cause Sleep Problems, and Vice Versa

It’s hard to sleep when you’re uncomfortable. Conditions like indigestion, constipation, heartburn, and nausea are all extremely uncomfortable, and even painful at times. If GI issues strike at night, it makes it difficult to sleep. Unfortunately, when we don’t get enough sleep, our stomach problems often persist into the next day and often get worse.

While we sleep, our body keeps working – restoring and repairing our muscles so they can do their job the next day. Our body requires a remarkable amount of energy to function properly. One of those major functions is our digestive process – eating, chewing and processing food before eliminating what we don’t need. Without sufficient sleep, we don’t have enough energy to perform that process as smoothly and as painlessly as we should.

The problems don’t stop there. When we’re sleep deprived, our appetite increases, and we actually begin to crave the kinds of junk food that trigger GI problems. Tired brains release more ghrelin (the hunger hormone), while well-rested minds release more leptin (an appetite suppressant). The more sugary, fatty food we eat, the more we feel it in our waistline – as well as our digestive and bowel movements.

When you’re overweight, GI symptoms worsen. Obese people are much likelier to report waking up from sleep due to chest pain or acid reflux, and experience lower quality sleep overall.

It’s not just the hunger hormone working against us. It’s faulty logic, too. When we’re tired, we’ll do anything for a quick energy boost. As a result, we often turn to caffeine and sugar. Both of these are bad for our digestion and our sleep.

With all this discomfort and lack of sleep, it’s no surprise we end up feeling stressed. Unfortunately, stress itself contributes to insomnia, IBS, and heartburn.




GERD, Heartburn and Sleep

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a chronic condition affecting 10 to 20% of Americans, making it the third most common GI disorder in the U.S. Common symptoms include heartburn and acid reflux.

As many as 74% of sufferers experience nighttime heartburn, contributing to sleep-onset insomnia (difficulty falling asleep). When acid flows back into the esophagus from the stomach, individuals start choking or coughing, either waking them up or keeping them from falling asleep in the first place.



Heartburn and Disturbed Sleep

The same proinflammatory cytokines present with GI diseases like GERD also show up with sleep disorders. When you’re sleep deprived, those cytokine levels increase, worsening GERD symptoms.

GERD is often comorbid in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and their risk increases if sleep issues are also present. Children with autism and sleep problems are twice as likely to experience frequent constipation and heartburn. Subsequent research says the relationship works both ways – autistic children with sleep issues are just as likely to have GI problems as autistic children with GI issues are to have sleep problems.

Children with ASD are also at high-risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA is a form of sleep-disordered breathing where the individual stops breathing during sleep due to a blockage of their airways. Even without autism, people with OSA are more likely to have GI tract conditions like gastric reflux and hiatal hernia, which stem from the spot in your diaphragm where your esophagus meets your stomach.

Although CPAP therapy is extremely effective for treating sleep apnea, there is one side effect that’s especially problematic for people with GERD. Occasionally air enters the esophagus and stomach instead of the lungs, which can worsen GERD symptoms.



IBS and Sleep

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic disorder of the large intestine that affects between 7 to 21% of the global population, with a disproportionate amount of sufferers in the US and south Asia.

Sleep problems are one of the biggest non-intestinal complaints of IBS sufferers. Difficulty falling asleep, disturbed sleep, and daytime fatigue are commonly reported. Research has also confirmed a positive association between IBS and sleep apnea.

While people with IBS are just as likely to wake up during the night as someone without IBS, they’re more likely to require a bowel movement rather than urinate, and that bowel movement is often accompanied by abdominal pain. This discomfort makes it tougher to fall back asleep.

People with IBS also often have fibromyalgia, which is tied to sleep problems of its own.




Ulcerative Colitis and Sleep

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that affects the colon and rectum of 250,000 to 500,000 Americans. Onset typically occurs in adults between ages 15 and 40.

People living with ulcerative colitis deal with abdominal pain, diarrhea and bowel issues on a daily basis, along with the fatigue and stress that comes part and parcel with managing such recurring discomfort.

Recent research suggests that adequate, quality sleep is important for managing UC symptoms as well as preventing the disease in the first place. One study observed that both chronic oversleeping and sleep deprivation seem to be risk factors for ulcerative colitis. Participants who consistently slept fewer than 6 hours per day or more than 9 were much likelier to also have ulcerative colitis.




Crohn's Disease and Sleep

Over 2 million Americans have some form of IBD, whether it’s ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s disease (CD) affects the lining of the digestive tract, with symptoms ranging from abdominal pain and diarrhea to anemia and fatigue. For many people with CD, fatigue persists when the disease is inactive as well.

People with insomnia have a three-fold increased risk of developing a bowel disorder like CD or UC. And, according to a study of over 1,200 patients, disturbed sleep and/or inadequate sleep doubles the risk of flare-ups for those living with Crohn’s disease.

Improving sleep is important not just for managing symptoms of Crohn’s disease, but also for preventing relapse during remission. A study of individuals in remission from Crohn’s disease found that the ones with sleep problems doubled their risk of it becoming active again.





How to Sleep Better When You Have IBD, IBS, or Heartburn

While most GI issues stem from chronic conditions, getting better quality sleep can alleviate the intensity of your symptoms. Try these behavioral strategies for improving sleep despite heartburn or IBD.

1. Follow a bedtime routine.
Develop a bedtime routine that calms your mind, body, and stomach. Take a warm bath or do some calming yoga poses.

Drink a nice cup of herbal tea. Chamomile, lemon balm, and passionflower have all been shown to promote sleep, reduce anxiety, and soothe indigestion.

Melatonin can also be an effective way to induce drowsiness. In one study, it reduced sleep latency (the amount of time it takes to fall asleep), and increased the overall total sleep time for individuals with IBS. Melatonin’s anti-inflammatory properties may also be helpful for sleep-deprived individuals living with colitis, according to another study.


2. Prepare for nighttime disruptions.
If you’re living with chronic heartburn, abdominal pain, or digestive issues, recognize now that you will expect some nighttime awakenings throughout your life. However, rather than getting frustrated, accept that these will happen and take steps to relax yourself back to sleep afterwards.

If you find yourself lying awake in bed for more than 20 minutes, get up and leave your room. Go do something calm somewhere else, like reading a book by a soft lamp, until you feel tired again. You don’t want your brain to come to associate your bed with sleeplessness.

Also clear your bedroom of electronics, especially clocks which build frustration as you watch the hours tick by.



3. Pay attention to your diet.

People with IBD and GERD are used to getting diet advice, so it’s no surprise that we’re including it as a tip here. Avoid heavy meals and spicy or sugary trigger foods late at night, at least 2 hours before bed.

Managing your diet will help keep your weight in check, too, minimizing your risk of heartburn. Never lay down after you eat, and wear clothes that are comfortable and loose, especially when going to bed. Too-tight clothing increases pressure on your stomach, leading to heartburn and GI issues.

Take care during the day to keep your blood sugar balanced, so as to avoid nocturnal hypoglycemia. Your blood sugar already lowers naturally while you sleep, but people with GI issues are more at risk. To keep your blood sugar steady, avoid overly sugary foods all day long, not just before bed. Instead, eat smaller meals throughout the day to stay in balance.


4. Change up your sleep position.
Stomach sleeping is terrible for acid reflux, since it places your esophagus in line with your stomach. Instead, sleep on your side or your back.

If you lie on your side, opt for your left side to reduce the pressure on your heart and other organs. If you sleep on your back, use a wedge pillow or raise the head of your bed with 6-inch risers to keep your esophagus above your stomach and reduce acid reflux.

Those with ulcerative colitis should lie on their back. If you’re more comfortable sleeping on your side, choose the side opposite to the side of your colon that gives you the most trouble. If you’re still feeling pain, avoid painkillers and use a heating pad instead. Painkillers like ibuprofen can actually irritate your colon, making you feel worse.


5. Reduce stress.
Stress builds anxiety and the kind of spiraling thoughts that keep insomniacs up at night, just as it makes your stomach feel like a spiral of its own.

To reduce stress, try incorporating one or more of the following into your life: yoga, meditation, or aromatherapy. Practice deep breathing or relaxation exercises before bed. If you can’t get the worries to stop, write them down in a journal to free them from your mind.


Additional resources:

Studies and research
“Sleep Dysfunction and Gastrointestinal Diseases”: This review details at-length the physiology of sleep and the immune system, and its connection with various GI diseases.

“Sleep disturbances and inflammatory bowel disease: a potential trigger for disease flare?”: Researchers provide an overview of the sleep problems related to IBD, and theorize whether circadian rhythm disorders may play a role in flare-ups of Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.

“Association of irritable bowel syndrome and sleep apnea in patients referred to sleep laboratory”: This study examines the prevalence of IBS in patients with sleep apnea.

“Sleep and Emotional and Behavioral Symptoms in Adolescents with Inflammatory Bowel Disease”: Researchers noted that teens with IBD experienced sleep problems that correlated with other problematic behaviors such as aggression and depression or anxiety.


Advocacy groups and organizations:

The CDC’s portal on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) provides up-to-date research and demographic analysis on Americans living with ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease.

The International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders is a non-profit focused on raising awareness, funding research, and providing helpful resources and treatment advice for people suffering from gastrointestinal and motility disorders.
The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation provides educational resources online, and helps patients and caregivers find local support groups, doctors and other healthcare providers near them.


Blogs and social media:

Read the latest news in GI disorders and find healthy recipes on popular online blogs such as Living with Gastroparesis, Gutsy By Nature, IBD News Today, and My Gut Health Today.

Connect with others for support and share your advice for getting better sleep on online forums such as the Constipation and GERD forums on Treato; the GERD, Acid Reflux, IBD, and IBS subreddits; CPAPtalk forum; the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation Community Forum; Crohn’s Forum; and the IBS Self Help and Support Group."

Their website, listed above, again is: https://www.tuck.com/gastrointestinal-issues-and-sleep/

Sometimes I Just Want to Give Up

Today has been really challenging and it was a bucket kind of day. I was vomiting all day today to the point where my throat is burnt, worse than before. I started running a fever today and I feel all achy, kind of like you get before you get the flu. I had a flu shot. If this is a stomach virus, I will curl up into a ball and sob. I can't handle being back in the hospital right now. My stomach keeps spasming and I have a pain in my upper left side. It almost feels like I've been sucker punched. It's like one huge knot in my stomach that won't uncurl.

My doctor is still working on my referral to the Mayo Clinic. I hope something is done for this soon. It's hard to keep my anti-nausea medications down. I want to finish college and I don't want to travel with a bucket anymore. I can't be around certain friends because if I start vomiting, they will too. I feel like I'm left out of almost everything because of my illness. I'm being ignored by friends. No one comes over to my house anymore to keep me company because it's not close to MARTA (the public transportation here). It's just depressing to be shunned, even though that's not their intention. But, still, it hurts.

I'm trying to hang on to the positive but it seems like the negative keeps out weighing it. This is just a lonely road. People keep telling me I'm strong but I don't feel strong. I miss being social and I miss my friends. I've made some really great ones on the Gastroparesis community page on Facebook. They've given me some great advice. It's just hard to stay optimistic all of the time when you're always bent over the toilet or a bucket.

I guess I'm just full of self pity tonight. I loved when people came over to hang out with me, it would distract me. I really could use the distraction.

I just don't know what to do anymore. I'm feeling so sick and I'm so frustrated by being so sick and not being able to do the things I love to do. I wish I could just get rid of the pain and constant vomiting ... but the sad thing is, I know people have this worse than I do. That makes me feels selfish that I'm whining so much.

Bitterness

*Please don't take offense to what I have written below. I'm not targeting anyone or anything - just writing down my own personal feelings at the moment. Please don't be angry or think I'm talking about anyone/anything in particular. Just getting out some feelings.*

Bitterness. That about sums up my mood for the Summer. I know that this entry is going to sound selfish but I need to get it out there.

I'm just tired. I feel like I haven't had a break. All of my friends are gone for the Summer - off visiting family, trips to the beach, and having fun. I'm stuck here trying to work on things and that's difficult when I'm vomiting six to eight times a day. Just picture yourself having food poisoning 24/7 and being nauseated all day, it's almost like that. I sat in the bathroom and cried for an hour tonight - just because I was in so much pain emotionally and physically. =(

I'm just insanely jealous. Where's my vacation and my trip to the beach? I spent my 10 year dating anniversary with my husband in the hospital. It just makes me incredibly depressed. I get stuck doing work because I'm home and I'm not going anywhere. It's not that I don't mind doing work or anything like that but I want to go to the beach with my husband for a week and block out school completely.

I sometimes feel like I'm taken advantage of because people know I'm always home. It's why I've been off of the grid for the past three days. It's not that I mind helping or anything like that - I feel like it's just not fair. I know that life isn't fair, but damn. I know that feeling is unfounded, but it's in the back of my mind - chipping away. It makes me even more sad.

I am tired of going to the doctor and traveling with a bucket. Monday is my psych evaluation to make sure that I have the right mental facilities for the permanent implant trial. The leads will be placed inside of my epidural fluid and the wires will come out of my back into a pager sized battery. I will wear it for 5 to 7 days and I will be unable to take a shower with the device in as well as to be unable to move certain ways. I hope it works for my knee.

Also, I'm trying to get the endometrosis in check. There is a special pharmacy that the Lupron is coming from. They will talk to my insurance to get my insurance to cover it and then the doctor will administer the injection. I will have two over the course of the six months. If I don't notice an immediate change, they're going to go in surgically and clean the endometrosis.

I haven't heard back from the Motility Specialist about whether or not the Smart Pill is covered. I should probably call her on Monday and make sure she hasn't forgotten about me. She wants to confirm that I have gastroparesis. I want to throw up on her shoes. I don't like her very much.

Anyway, I'm at home, wallowing in self pity and loathing because I can't do anything other than work or play on my computer. That gets old after a while. I've been reading on my Kindle a lot. It's nice to escape into someone else's world for a while.

I'm exhausted right now and it's only 8pm. I haven't done anything today besides read and watch a movie on TV. My husband and roommate went to see the new Batman movie. I hope that my stomach will stay under control so that I can watch it too. Right now, I'm nauseated and my stomach is swollen and bloated. I have intense amounts of pain from the spasms coming from my stomach muscles. My diaphragm is sore from vomiting violently. My throat is swollen and burnt from the stomach acid that I can barely swallow pills. I've had two pills get stuck in the back of my throat today.

I just want to go back to sleep. When I sleep, there's no sickness. It's peaceful - except for the nightmares.

Woke up at 6am - and My Stomach Hates Me

My stomach managed to wake me up and I went straight to the bathroom and vomited. So much for that. I thought I was having a good day yesterday. I vomited up some of the food that I ate at the wedding reception, some of it wasn't digested (OK, I know that's probably TMI - but my blog is to help keep track of these things to tell the doctor). I have very intense stomach cramps. I also feel very tired, exhausted, and fatigued even though I slept yesterday and some last night.

I just took:

1 pain pill

2 anti-spasmotic pills

1 anxiety pill

1 muscle relaxer

2 anti-nausea pills

Between all of those, and I hope I can keep those down, hopefully I'll go back to sleep. I just hate waking up with that immediate need to be sick. And, as per usual, I whacked my knee on the side of the toilet again.

I just want to feel better. I'm going to call and make an appointment with the motility specialist. She's at Crawford Long, so that's a bit closer to me to get to. When I do drive, I have to drive around with a bucket. I've gotten pretty good at vomiting outside of moving cars though. I don't feel safe driving because I might get sick while I'm driving.

I need to find a primary care doctor closer to my house as well. I feel bad just walking in and saying, "Hey, I've got gastroparesis and I'm your new patient!" I would like all of my records in one place, though. My knee records, my stomach records, my records from my old primary care doctor. I feel as though my medical records are scattered all across Atlanta.

I have to say that it was good to leave the house for a little bit. I've been confined here since March since my GP has been so severe. I slept on the car ride back because the nausea started to hit. Then, I went to bed and didn't wake up until about 10pm or so. This new medication knocks me out.

The medicine that helps the most is the muscle relaxer. It relaxes my stomach enough for me to eat and not be in as much pain.I don't know if they'll keep me on it or not but it's the only thing that seems to help.

Maybe one day this Summer, I will get to go to the beach! I miss the salty smell of the air... there's nothing quite like it. I'm leaving Wednesday or Thursday for a car ride up to Connecticut for convention for my fraternity with my friends. I hope that I can make it up there with no problems. I'm more worried about the car ride. If I don't eat while at convention, I won't be sick. I know that sounds absolutely horrible. I didn't each much before or after the wedding, so I didn't get sick like normal. So, I'm going to have to monitor myself very closely with food. Most of the time, I'm not hungry anyway. But, social conventions seem to be centered around food and drinking. I can't do either.