try and measure how much sleep you're getting

        ...My wife gifted me with a FitBit HR back in April. One of it's functions is measuring amount of sleep and quality of sleep. For me logs and graphs show a distinct and repetitive pattern.  My wife created an xls spread sheet on my android tablet and in it goes the sleep data, exercise data and calories burned data from my FitBit. Alongside of the numbers I enter in descriptions of pain levels and where it is manifesting most, along with accompanying problems  (example C-1 thru C-7 vertebrae pain level 8 and higher brings with it severe muscle and vasospasms. With these there is a high risk of confusion and even loss of consciousness). There is a 4-6 day pattern of decreases in amount and quality of my sleep and increasing severity of pain and spasms. Break the pattern and I do OK. However if sleep remains less than 2 hrs per night for a week then there is a strong probability I will end up in E.R.

 ...So far we have only 14 weeks of of data and charts, but it looks promising. Our body is a whole and what effects part of it can manifest itself in other parts. Our body requires sleep to help us resist negative effects of illness. Put quantitative data to that sleep and you may be able to understand and influence it to your benefit. 

A good night's sleep will never cure A.S., however it can help you deal with it better. A FitBit HR costs about $100. on Amazon. That isn't cheap, but it is a very useful tool in helping people obtain a better understanding of what is going on with their body.