Sleep and pain often go hand in hand. Sleep has been shown to be an effective strategy for the management of pain, especially chronic pain however, not all sleep is created equal. Ethan, from out Mt Eden Physiotherapy clinic explains how sleep helps and some ideas to better your sleep.
Stages of Sleep
There are 5 stages of sleep. Stages 1 and 2 are the lighter phases when we first go to sleep and then again wake up. Stages 3 and 4 are the deep sleep phases known as slow wave sleep and the final stage is rapid eye movement sleep (REM) where dreams occur. It is believed that in stages 3 and 4 is where the most healing and physical growth occur as the body produces complex proteins and growth hormones are released. Stage 5 is where much of our learning and transference of short to long term memory occurs.
Research shows that often those with chronic pain or under high stress levels struggle to get into stages three and four. Often waking even after a full night’s sleep feeling tired and exhausted. There is a reciprocal relationship between pain and sleep. Pain during the day can affect the quality of that night’s sleep and poor-quality sleep can increase pain levels the next day. This can bee seen as an endless cycle however there are a few techniques to help improve your sleep.
Diet:
- Staying hydrated through the day
- Avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bed. Alcohol may help you get to sleep but it often prevents you from entering the deep sleep phases.
- Avoiding fatty or sugary food prior to bed.
Sleep Routine:
- Getting up at roughly the same time each morning regardless of how tired you are.
- Going to bed at approximately the same time each night
- Completing a similar routine each night prior to bed e.g. having a shower, brushing your teeth and then reading a book.
- Avoiding naps >30 minutes during the day.
- Creating the association between the bed and sleep. Avoiding watching TV, resting without sleeping, eating, gaming in bed. Do it else where in the house and save the bed for only sleeping.
Light:
- Increasing the amount of day light you experience during the day can increase melatonin production (the hormone that helps sleep)
- Avoid blue light prior to bed (cellphone, tablet, laptops), use blue light filters on your devices, but they still aren’t as good as avoiding completely.
Struggling to Sleep:
- If you can’t get to sleep in the first 15 minutes, get up and do a quiet activity until you feel sleepy.
Stress management:
- Employing a mindfulness technique or writing down things that you a stressing about can help you avoid lying in bed worrying about things.
Exercise:
- Having a regular exercise routine can help decrease your stress and improve the quality of your sleep. Try getting 20-30 minutes of exercises each day.
If you are suffering from any sort of pain and either need advice or would like us to help with a tailored rehabilitation plan for you, including sleep advice, make an appointment to come and see us at our Mt Eden Physiotherapy clinic today.