Sleep-deprived women ''at risk'' of fibromyalgia
15/11/2011
Women who struggle to fall asleep on their mattresses at night are at increased risk of developing fibromyalgia, Norwegian researchers have found.
The greater the effects of insomnia, the more likely the female is to develop fibromyalgia ten years later, the team from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim discovered.
Paul J Mork, a study coauthor and a researcher at the institution, said: "Sleep problems are just one factor that may contribute to the development of fibromyalgia.
"Fibromyalgia is a complex pain syndrome and there are numerous other factors that may contribute to the development of this illness."
During the ten-year period, 2.6 per cent of the 12,350 women assessed had developed the condition, which was most common among those aged 45 and over.
The Great British Sleep Survey recently revealed that as much as half the British population suffers from insomnia, with women more greatly affected than men.
Posted by Michael Ewing
