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Avatar universal

Achy body only when sleeping

I am a 44 year old female. No health problems. But for some reason when I try to sleep my shoulder, arm muscles, and hip and leg muscles ache so bad (depending on which side I am sleeping on). I can't seem to stay comfortable. I toss and turn from one side to the other to feel relief. I swear I only stay asleep for about 20 minutes before I am woken up from throbbing pain in my shoulder, arm, hip and leg (on that side). So I toss over and fall asleep for another 10 - 20 minutes only to have it happen over and over all night. Once I am awake I don't have any pain issues during the day. I have tired many mattresses thinking i had a too firm mattress. I had an air-bed for years and kept it very soft and still had this issue. Someone told me it was too soft and I needed more support. I now have a regular mattress with a 3 inch memory foam topper. Very soft but lots of support underneath. Still can't sleep. I don't even know what type of doctor to see for pain at night. Has anyone else experienced pain like this at night? Oh, I am not over weight at all. I am 5'1" and about 112 pounds. So it can't be too much weight on my extremities. Any ideas or suggestions I would really appreciate it. I don't sleep at all anymore and feel like a zombie. I am starting to dread night time because I just lay there in misery from side to side.
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Avatar universal
Are you working out like weight training, running or any activities at all?  Are you drinking Alcohol?  I notice when I work out extra hard and have an Alcohol beverage or eat a spice called cumin or smoked paprika, my whole entire body will ache around 1:00 a.m. and I would have to get up and take a few Advils and sometimes that does not work.  The ache is so bad I want to jump in front of a bus.  I am find during the day I do not have that ache during the day at all.  I  started to write down everything  I do during the day including eating and drinking, and it seems like when I work out hard, drink Alcohol 1-2 beers or 2 glasses of wine and certain spices it sets it off, that sounds weird but I cannot figure out why I would have this horrible ache at night.  I can fall asleep very easy without pain, but around 1:00 am the ache wakes me up from a deep sleep and then I cannot fall asleep because the ache is so bad.  I am in good shape not over weight at all and I do not eat junk food at all but will have a cocktail couple times a week and that seems to set the ache.  Keep a diary and see what happens maybe its a food, spice, sugar or alcohol, if you work out like running swimming or any activities maybe its that, too much for your body.  I do work out very hard and I have a small frame body and maybe my body cannot take the load and it's effecting my tendons, ligaments, bones and muscles.  What are the Doctors going to tell you:  Stress (I am retired) I do not have stress, you have to be your own detective.  Good Luck.
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Avatar universal
The purchase of a good memory foam topper is a good start but it sounds like more a systemic problem for you. It is possible that you're body is just not suited to longer periods of stillness so maybe napping in periods could be a way to avoid pain? Long term though, I suggest going to the doctors, maybe getting an MRI done
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Avatar universal
Hi,
     Thanks for writing in. Inability to sleep is a rising problem in today’s stressful lives. Are you working? If yes what kind of work do you do? Because if it involves sitting in front of the computer that might affect the sleep pattern as well as body aches.
Are you in your menopause? In menopause due to hormonal changes in the body there can be body pains.
Try practicing yoga before going to bed and having a shower before going to bed will also relieve the stress.
Inspite of these if you are facing this problem, visit a  neurologist.
All the best.


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