Sleeping is a nightmare: A qualitative study on the experience and management of poor sleep quality in women with fibromyalgia

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to explore the experience and management of poor sleep quality in Spanish women with fibromyalgia (FM).

Design: This was a qualitative study based on one-to-one interviews.

Methods: Twenty-one adult women diagnosed with FM were recruited from the community between January and March 2020. Data were collected through in-depth semistructured one-to-one interviews, using an interview guide of open questions about the experience and management of poor sleep quality, and were analyzed with thematic qualitative analysis. The symptom management theory was used as a biopsychosocial conceptual framework.

Results: The results were organized into two themes: (a) experience of poor sleep quality and (b) management strategies for poor sleep quality. Poor sleep quality was found to be a severe symptom of FM that negatively impacts pain, fatigue, stiffness, mental health, and quality of life. The participants perceived pharmacological treatment to be the main approach of health care professionals for improving sleep, and most did not want this form of treatment. Self-management strategies lack clear beneficial effects on sleep quality.

Conclusion: Women with FM recognize that they need to receive more information from nurses and allied professions about sleep in the context of FM and how to effectively manage poor sleep quality.

Impact: This study contributes to a better understanding of how women with FM experience and manage poor sleep quality. More information about management strategies for poor sleep quality from nurses and other health care professionals is needed in women with FM. The results of this study can be applied by nurses and health care professionals, including sleep educators, in the treatment of this patient group.

Keywords: fibromyalgia; nursing; poor sleep quality; qualitative research; symptom management theory.