How To Sleep With Chronic Pain

The Impact Of Chronic Pain On Sleep

Chronic Pain is life changing. It robs you of your former self and changes you in a way that you can't even imagine. Chronic pain can make even the smallest of tasks difficult. Indeed, chronic pain can be defined as having a pain condition for more than six months. This can be anything from back pain, to migraine, to tendinitis. Whilst pain interferes with your waking life it can also have devastating effects on your sleep. What's more lack of sleep can affect how you deal with your pain. Thus a vicious cycle occurs and you can find yourself in a living nightmare. However the good news is that there are multiple things that you can put in place to help you sleep. Sleep is essential for healing and it is also crucial for mental well being. Here, at Beds On Legs we will explore some of the things that you can put in place to get you sleeping more soundly. 

Practice Good Sleep Hygiene

Sleep Hygiene is important for anyone looking for a decent night's kip. However, if you are suffering from a long lasting pain condition then it is even more important. So what is good sleep hygiene? Here are some of our top tips:-

• Make sure your bedroom temperature is comfortable. This should be not too hot and and not too cold. In fact most people find they sleep better in a moderately cool bedroom.

• Get rid of technology. Whilst it might be tempting to scroll through your phone when you can't sleep studies prove that this can interfere with sleep.

• Make sure you have a comfortable mattress. If your mattress has seen better days then it is time to invest in a new one. Your mattress should help your pain and not add to it.

• Keep your bedroom tidy. A tidy and organised bedroom can help to calm your mind. If you're not well enough to do this then ask for help.

• Get the right bedding. Invest in a good pillow.

Consider Using An App

There are multiple apps that are available for helping you to sleep. Indeed, a lot of apps focus on meditation and other relaxation techniques. When you are in chronic pain, you are often in 'fight or flight' mode. Therefore it is important to try and relax the nervous system. In fact, relaxing the nervous response can also calm the pain response and therefore help you sleep. Some apps are directly aimed at helping people with chronic pain. One such app is Curable. You can read more about it here

Get Talking And Writing

Chronic pain can take its toll mentally. Indeed it can be extremely isolating. Perhaps you are unable to work because of it and even if you can you may feel misunderstood by many. Long lasting pain is difficult to understand if you haven't experienced it. Talking can often relieve the anguish you are feeling. Off loading to a sympathetic ear can do wonders for your mental well being. If you have difficulty talking about you're feelings then you might prefer to write a journal. Getting your feelings out of your head and on to paper can do wonders for your sleep.

Ask For Help

If you've tried everything above but are still struggling then don't be afraid to ask for help. Your first port of call should always be your doctor. From here you might be prescribed medication or referred to other services that may be able to help. Above all else, don't struggle on your own as you don't need to. With the right resources and help you'll be enjoying more restorative sleep in no time.