Sleep for Chronic Pain Management

A good day makes a good night.
Plan your day to help your night and your day will be better.

Support for chronic pain management

Support for Chronic Pain Management

Sleep for pain management

Sleep for Pain Management

Nutrition for pain management

Nutrition for Pain Management

gentle exercise for chronic pain

Exercise for Pain Management

Guided Meditation for pain management

Guided Meditations for Chronic Pain

Here are some of the conditions to help with a good night’s sleep. You may hear these suggestions referred to as sleep hygiene

“You cannot force yourself to go to sleep. You have to create the right conditions for sleep and then you have to let go.”

Jon Kabat-Zinn

Exercise

Get your body moving. Some people find it harder to sleep if they exercise close to bedtime, but this isn’t the case for everyone. Try exercising at different times of day to see what works for you.

Get some Morning Sunshine

This helps set your body clock (and may help decrease depression!)

Alcohol

Alcohol- You may think that alcohol helps you sleep, but it disrupts deep and often causes you to wake up in the middle of the night.

Caffeine

If you are going to have caffeine, stop at least 6 hours before bedtime. Some people are more susceptible to the effects of caffeine, so pay attention to your body.

Supplements

Some supplements have been shown to be effective in helping with sleep also. Check with your health care provider before starting any supplements. Options to discuss are: 5HTP, Magnesium glycinate, Melatonin, Valerian root.

Bedtime routine

Create one for yourself to help your body and mind transition from wake to sleep. This may include a warm bath or shower, a relaxing book, stretching, breath work, or any other routine that you feel helps you relax.

Limit time in bed

If you are sleeping very little at night, only allow yourself to be in bed about 7 hours. As you are able to sleep for 7 hours, increase your time in bed by 15 minutes. Do this until you work your way up to 8-8 1/2 hours a night. But remember, not everyone needs 8 hours of sleep. Ask yourself: Do I feel rested with the amount of sleep I am getting? Do I have the energy I need for my day?

Keep a sleep log

See what’s really going on. This may give you some immediate insight into your sleep issues. You can find many sleep logs out there. Look around and see what works for you. One place to look is the National Sleep Foundation.

Get Into a Rhythm

It’s most important to get up at the same time every day. It helps to go to bed at the same time every night.

Food Matters

Eat dinner several hours before bed. Also, high fat diets can disrupt your sleep cycle.

Nicotine

It tends to decrease deep sleep and a smoker may wake during the night due to nicotine withdrawal.

Foods that may help with sleep

Foods that may help with sleep are chamomile tea, foods rich in tryptophan (egg whites, soy, bananas, sesame and sunflower seeds and whole grain cereals), and foods high in melatonin (cherries, bananas, whole grains, plums, oranges, apples, tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds).

Bedroom / Sleep Area Atmosphere

Create a calm, comfortable sleeping area. The area should be as dark as possible. Try to keep blue light out of your bedroom for sleep. Bed is for sleeping (and possibly sex) only.

Quiet your mind

  • Stressed – Try a relaxation mediation or relaxing music
  • Mind racing – Listen to a relaxing audiobook, guided imagery recording, practice a breath focused meditation, try a progressive muscle relaxation.
  • If you can’t sleep after about twenty minutes in bed, get up and leave the bedroom.
  • Do something else until you feel tired and then return to bed. Remember this activity shouldn’t be too stimulating or involve much light.
  • Ask yourself: Do I feel rested with the amount of sleep I am getting? Do I have the energy I need for my day?

Avoid napping

If you must nap, limit it to 30-45 minutes.

Try Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i)

If you can’t find a therapist that is trained in your area, there are now CBT-i apps available.

better sleep is a process app

Download the App:
iTunes (iOS)
GooglePlay (Android)

Better sleep is a process.

Remember that you have done OK without sleep, so you will be OK tomorrow if you don’t sleep tonight. Relax and let go. For chronic sleep issues and for evaluation of sleep conditions, such as sleep apnea, please discuss your concerns with your medical provider and you may ask for a referral to a sleep medicine specialist.