These 5 Tips Will Help You Sleep Better with Chronic Pain
Key Takeaways:
Chronic pain is persistent pain that last three months or more.
Chronic pain can affect your quality of life, including sleep.
Chronic pain can affect your sleep quality and vice versa.
Insomnia, restless leg syndrome (RLS), and daytime sleepiness are a few common sleep problems people with chronic pain experience.
To improve your sleep, create a sleep-friendly environment, adopt a bedtime routine, explore pain management techniques, address specific areas of pain, and consult your doctor.
In 2021, 51.6 million, or 20.9% of adults in the United States, reported experiencing chronic pain, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Chronic or persistent pain is any pain that lasts longer than 12 weeks, regardless of medical treatment. Living with chronic pain can affect daily activities, like working, caring for others, and sleeping.
One of the biggest complaints about chronic pain is how it impacts sleep. Unfortunately, living with chronic pain can be a double-edged sword when it comes to sleeping. Chronic pain can cause sleep difficulties, while poor sleep can worsen the pain.
Common sleeping problems people with chronic pain face include:
Insomnia
Restless leg syndrome (RLS)
Poor sleep
Daytime sleepiness
Short or long sleep duration
Some strategies help reduce some of the sleep-related challenges of chronic pain. By creating a sleep-friendly environment, adopting a consistent bedtime routine, and exploring pain management techniques, you can increase your chances of experiencing a restful night's sleep.
Here are five tips on how to sleep with pain:
1) Create a sleep-friendly environment
A relaxing, comfortable sleep environment is essential for encouraging restful sleep, especially if you’re managing chronic pain.
You can create a sleep-friendly environment by:
Purchasing a supportive mattress and pillows that target your pain points.
Selecting bedding made of soft, breathable materials to keep you cool and prevent skin irritation.
Make sure that your bedroom is dark, quiet, and at a cool temperature.
Use blackout curtains or eye masks to block out external light sources.
Use earplugs, turn off your TV, and silence your phone to eliminate distractions.
2) Adopt a consistent bedtime routine
Creating a regular bedtime routine alerts your body when it’s time to prepare for sleep.
The following practices can be helping for improving your sleep with chronic pain:
Set a fixed sleep schedule, go to bed, and wake up at the same.
Try engaging in relaxation techniques, like deep breathing exercises, meditation, or gentle stretching.
Stay away from high-energy activities and bright screens before bedtime.
Avoid drinking caffeinated drinks or alcohol, and don’t smoke before getting in bed,
Develop a calming pre-sleep ritual, like reading a book, taking a warm bath, or listening to soothing music.
3) Explore pain management techniques
Managing chronic pain during the night can impact your ability to stay and fall asleep.
With this in mind, consider implementing the following techniques into your bedtime routine to ease sleep and pain.
Use cold or heat therapy to relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
Try relaxation exercises, like progressive muscle relaxation or guided imagery.
Experiment with supportive sleep positions, like using many pillows or body pillows, to promote relaxation and relieve discomfort.
4) Address specific pain areas
If sleep is causing you chronic pain, there are different methods you can try to prevent pain and poor sleep in specific areas.
Here’s how to relieve neck pain from sleeping:
Take over-the-counter medications.
Use a rounded pillow to support the curvature of your neck.
Try ice therapy to relieve pain.
If your back is causing pain, this is how to sleep with back pain:
Try different sleeping positions, like lying on your side or on your stomach with a pillow between your pelvis and lower abdomen.
Take time to get in and out of bed carefully.
Try gentle yoga stretches before bed.
And if you experience pain in your shoulder, here’s how you can sleep with shoulder pain:
Avoid sleeping on one side.
Use special pillows to support your shoulder.
Sleep on your stomach.
5) Speak to your doctor
If you have tried several methods but aren’t seeing improvements in your sleep, it may be time to speak to your doctor. They can discuss treatment options to help with your chronic pain or refer you to a sleep specialist for further testing.
Chronic pain can significantly impact your quality of life, including sleep. Improving sleep and pain can encourage relaxation and a good night’s rest. Don’t be afraid to try different strategies and consult your healthcare provider for more guidance.
How Chronius Can Help
If living with chronic illness feels like a full time job, you aren’t alone.
That’s why at Chronius, we make it easy to navigate the healthcare system as a patient. Our online care management platform brings together all of your health records and offers a 1-click appointment prep tool that easily synthesizes your health story for your care team. You also can track all of your symptoms, identify trends, learn from vetted medical information, and follow a custom patient journey map. Plus, if you needs hands on support, our Care Advocates are available to help you with any issues you may hit up against. Personalized support as you navigate your care journey is what we are all about.
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