Autonomic Nervous System Functioning Related to Nocturnal Sleep in Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Compared to Tired Controls.
Orjatsalo, Maija, Alakuijala, Anniina, Partinen, Markku·Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine·2018
This study examined how the nervous system controls heart rate and blood pressure during sleep in ME/CFS patients compared to people without the condition. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients showed unusual patterns during sleep: their sympathetic nervous system (the 'fight or flight' system) was more active than normal, while their parasympathetic nervous system (the 'rest and digest' system) was less active, especially during deep sleep. This abnormal nervous system activity during sleep may help explain why ME/CFS patients often wake up feeling unrefreshed.