MS symptoms, such as fatigue and muscle stiffness, can fluctuate throughout the day. They can also fluctuate for days or weeks in a relapse. But how the symptoms change can vary greatly among individuals.
MS is a progressive, immune-mediated disease. It can damage or attack several areas of the brain and spinal cord, leading to unpredictable and varied symptoms.
Some MS symptoms can vary in severity throughout the day. Keep in mind that what you experience may differ from what others experience.
Do MS symptoms fluctuate throughout the day?
If you feel like your MS symptoms get better or worse throughout the day, you’re not alone. MS symptoms can change in severity throughout the day.
Experts and researchers often focus on large trends of symptoms over the course of months or years. However, some studies have focused on some symptoms throughout the day or shorter periods.
In a 2017 study, researchers found evidence supporting the idea that MS fatigue can fluctuate in people living with relapsing-remitting MS for the same reasons that fatigue fluctuates in people who don’t have MS.
Reasons for fluctuations can include stress, mood, lack of sleep, temperature, and other causes.
Physical activity has different effects on MS fatigue. Sometimes, physical activity can trigger or cause fatigue, but regular moderate exercise can help improve endurance, strength, and energy.
An estimated 80% of people living with MS will experience spasticity. Spasticity is characterized by muscle stiffness that can lead to spasms, pain, and reduced mobility. Spasticity is generally worse or more noticeable with movement.
It may also trigger or worsen the severity of other symptoms, such as fatigue, sleep disorders, and bladder dysfunction. You may find that some of your MS symptoms tend to worsen in the evening or overnight when you lay down to go to sleep.
Keep in mind that MS is a highly diverse condition that causes different symptoms and severities in everyone. You may find that your symptoms worsen in the morning or midafternoon and improve at night.
What are the MS symptoms that worsen during the day?
Fatigue affects 65% to 80% of people living with MS. Fatigue associated with MS tends to worsen following activity and physical exercise. This means it often occurs during the daytime for people living with MS.
It may also increase due to regular, day-to-day fluctuations in stress and mood levels. Taking steps to help reduce stress at work, school, or home may help keep fatigue to a minimum during daytime hours.
Other symptoms may also worsen during the day. Common MS symptoms that you may find get worse or more noticeable during the day can include:
- bladder and bowel problems
- numbness and tingling
- trouble with memory and thinking
- muscle tightness, stiffness, spasticity, or spasms
- loss of balance and dizziness
- tremor
- pain
- vision issues
The severity of the symptoms will vary greatly among people, so you may or may not notice any of these symptoms during the day.
What are the MS symptoms that worsen during the night?
Some MS symptoms may worsen at night, leading to difficulties with sleeping. Research suggests that more than half of people with MS experience some kind of sleep disturbance.
Symptoms that may interfere with sleep in people with MS include:
- spasticity
- neuropathic painTrusted Source in the legs and feet, which may feel like burning or tingling
- nocturia (frequent nighttime urination)
- Recent research also suggests that many people with MS may experience restless leg syndrome, which can also have symptoms that worsen at night.
