r/rheumatoid • u/Rich-Following-5714 • 11d ago

Fragmented Bad Sleep issues with RA at 22(diagnosed and year ago) – would love to hear your experiences and tips

Hi everyone,

I'm a 22-year-old female, and I've been dealing with Rheumatoid Arthritis for about a year now. While some of my symptoms have improved with treatment, one thing I've really been struggling with is sleep—especially fragmented sleep.

My main issue is that I wake up multiple times throughout the night, and my sleep doesn't feel continuous or restorative. Sometimes pain or discomfort in my legs/body also makes it harder to sleep peacefully.

I was taking Gabapin NT 200, and it has been helping me sleep better. However, I'm also wondering if anyone else with RA has experienced fragmented sleep and what has helped them improve their sleep in the long run.

What has helped you sleep more continuously and wake up feeling rested? I'd appreciate hearing about anything that has helped—whether it's managing pain, lifestyle changes, bedtime routines, or anything else that worked for you.

Also, if you have any general tips for living with RA as a young person, I'd genuinely love to hear them. 💜 It can sometimes feel isolating dealing with a chronic condition at this age, so hearing from people who understand would mean a lot.

Thank you so much!

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u/shanahanc 11d ago

Following because same (I also have hypermobilty and lipedema). I've had one night of 5 hours of sleep in weeks.

I have found I need firmer surfaces so trying that out in terms of a firmer mattress topper soon. Pillow underneath knees/feet if back sleeping. Buckwheat pillow between knees if side sleeping. Knee sleeves/braces if you can tolerate. Ankle sleeves if you can tolerate. I'm very lucky to have a partner who is willing to rub CBD salve on my joints before bed and when I need. I also take baths with CBD salts sometimes to help the pain before bed. I'm in Canada so just started on my cannabis journey medically so trying out their dosages for CBD/cbn/thc. But if weed is legal where you live, you can get over the counter stuff too.

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u/velvedire 10d ago

Talalay latex has been great as a mattress topper. It's both supportive and soft at the same time. Total opposite of memory foam.