Ep 120: Why Sleep Is So Hard with Autoimmune Disease (and What Actually Helps)

Sleep problems are one of the most common and most frustrating experiences for people living with AiArthritis diseases. In this episode, Eileen Davidson breaks down why getting a good night's rest can feel nearly impossible when you're living with an AiArthritis disease, and shares what has actually helped her along the way.

 

Eileen explores the many reasons sleep is so disrupted by AiArthritis diseases, from pain and stiffness to the role that chronic inflammation plays in interfering with the body's natural sleep cycles. She offers an honest, personal reflection on what sleepless nights really look like from a patient's perspective and why this issue deserves more attention in conversations about disease management.

 

Whether you're lying awake wondering if anyone else understands what you're going through, or you're looking for practical steps to try tonight, this episode offers both validation and real, actionable guidance from someone who lives it every day.

 

 

Episode Highlights:

• Why sleep is uniquely challenging for people living with AiArthritis diseases
• The connection between inflammation and disrupted sleep
• A personal reflection on what sleep struggles really feel like
• Small, realistic habits and strategies that can actually make a difference

 

Links & Resources

• Have questions about this episode or topics you want to hear us bring to the table? Email us at podcast@aiarthritis.org 
• Donate to Support the Show: www.aiarthritis.org/donate

 

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Connect with our Co-Hosts:

Eileen Davidson is a rheumatoid arthritis patient advocate from Vancouver Canada. She volunteers with the Arthritis Research Canada patient advisory board and the Canadian Institute of Health Research - Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis patient engagement research ambassador, among others. When not advocating she is writing about her experience with arthritis through Creaky Joints, Healthline, Chronic Eileen or can be found being a mom to her son Jacob.

 

Connect with Eileen:

Twitter: @ChronicEileen