The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the complaint of poor sleep quality in women suffering with fibromyalgia. Up to 80% of people with fibromyalgia complain of poor sleep quality in addition to musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and other somatic symptoms. Using limb actigraphy and sleep diaries, an examination of sleep quality and circadian rhythm was performed with 50 women volunteers over at least one week. Impact from fibromyalgia was measured using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire. While the sleep times of these women were not grossly disturbed, their complaints of poor sleep quality, difficulty falling asleep, and difficulty staying asleep are indicative of insomnia. Results suggest that women with fibromyalgia may be altering their circadian rhythm to adapt to their disease.
Keywords: Fibromyalgia, Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, Actigraphy, Sleep Diaries, Circadian Rhythm
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