As many as 2/3rds of people with chronic pain problems suffer from disturbed sleep- this can create a vicious circle of sleep deprivation and worsening pain.
It is when we are in a deep sleep that our bodies are healing and our brains are truly resting. If we wake up regularly through the night we get what is known as “non restorative” sleep. This means we feel tired and painful the next day and over time this leads to anxiety and worsening pain which causes more sleep disturbance. So by improving our sleep even a little, we can reverse this vicious circle, and create a virtuous circle!!
Ten tips for better Sleep1.
Regular exercise! It has been shown that exercising for as little as 20 minutes, 3 times a week can help you sleep better.
2.
Get a new mattress & pillow. You spend 1/3 of your life in bed and old mattresses and chunky pillows are not the answer to a good night’s sleep!
Memory foam mattresses and pillows can increase your body contact thus support your spine better while you sleep.
3.
Don’t nap in the afternoon. It can be tempting to have an hours rest after a busy day, however napping for more than 30 minutes or after 3pm can disturb the quality of your sleep at night.
4.
Reduce caffeine and nicotine…..for 4-6 hours before you go to bed.
5.
Keep your room cool. The room should be at a temperature whereby you feel you need to be under the covers.
6.
Don’t watch TV in bed, or finish off any work things in bed. Let your brain associate going to bed with sleeping.
7.
Develop a pre bed ritual. By doing the same things before you go to bed, you prepare your body for going to sleep.
8.
Don’t reward your sleeplessness- train your brain to stay asleep. If you wake during the night or just can’t sleep, don’t get up and do something you enjoy; it only encourages your mind to stay awake, like a baby who wakes up and gets warm milk. Do something boring, like the ironing, it helps you to break the habit.
9.
Take a bath before bed. Raising your temperature will help to make you sleepy and easier to switch off.
10.
Take pain medication, if you are suffering. By controlling your pain you help your body to heal by keeping you in a deeper sleep.
Zzzzzzzz
