Sleep is vital to recovery. We all need about eight hours a day, but if you are recovering from any kind of illness or injury you need more sleep.

In ME/CFS sleep is particularly important as it is the time when the brain does most of its drainage - draining away toxins out into the body. This occurs during the deep sleep phase of the cycle, which is often disturbed in ME/CFS.

Many patients complain of finding it difficult to fall asleep. Others that they wake in the small hours and can't get back to sleep. Some find that they wake up over and over again during the night or are disturbed by long periods of wakefulness or by vivid or frightening dreams.

Whatever problems you may have with sleep, it is likely that you wake in the morning feeling unrefreshed.

There are a number of approaches to improving sleep including sleep hygiene, anxiety management, herbal remedies and medication. 

In this section we look at a variety of approaches to the promotion of good sleep.