Restful sleep is incredibly important to our overall health. When we’re well rested, our body has time to recover from the rigors of the previous day, and we have more energy to attack today with exercise and activity. Conversely, poor sleep quality can do just the opposite. If we’re not getting great sleep, we may be more sedentary throughout the day and pain sensitivity can also increase. It is very important to work to get quality sleep.

With that said, quality restful sleep isn’t always easy to come by, especially if you are dealing with a pain condition that makes it harder for you to fall asleep or stay asleep. You may have to work a little harder to achieve restful sleep in the face of a chronic pain condition, but it can be done and it will be worth it. In today’s blog, we share some tips for achieving restful sleep despite dealing with a chronic pain condition.

Improving Your Sleep Quality If You Have Chronic Pain

We know that chronic pain is unique to the individual, so we don’t expect all of these tips to work perfectly for every single person battling a pain condition. However, if you really commit to one or more of these techniques, we’re confident that you’ll eventually find a way to improve your sleep quality. Here’s what we suggest.

Turn Off Distractions – For starters, keep your phone out of arm’s reach and don’t fall asleep to a television program in bed. These blue light sources can strain our eyes and make our brain more alert, which in turn makes it harder for you to relax and fall asleep. Try to make the last 15-30 minutes or more before bed a technology-free time.

Deep Breathing – You can help your body become more relaxed by practicing some deep breathing or meditation exercises right before bedtime. Focus on your breathing patterns and feel yourself begin to calm down and relax. Try to block out your mind from any sources of stress and really just work on clearing your head.

Exercise During The Day – Many people find that they fall asleep faster and sleep better if they are physically active during the day. Your body craves activity, and challenging your body with activity is physically exhausting. Sometimes feelings of anxiousness or restlessness at bedtime can be controlled by making it a point to exercise during the day. Exercise is also great for chronic pain management.

Avoid Caffeine and Naps – It may also be helpful to ditch the caffeine and naps, especially in the afternoon or evening if you want to fall asleep faster at night. We know that a nap can recharge your batteries and help you get through the day, but it can also make it harder to fall asleep at night. Try to avoid napping and consuming large amounts of caffeine in the hours before bed. A coffee to start your morning shouldn’t cause any problems at night, but a soda with dinner may, so be mindful of what you put in your body before bed.

Dive Into A Pain Management Plan – If pain is the main reason you’re struggling to fall asleep or stay asleep, we urge you to talk with a pain management specialist like Dr. Cohn to develop a personalized care plan. By making small adjustments to your daily life with things like increased exercise, dietary improvements, medication management, posture awareness and physical therapy techniques, we’re confident we can help you find ways to reduce or eliminate your chronic pain, which can make it easier for you to relax and fall asleep at night. Chronic pain and poor sleep quality can build off one another, so really commit to a pain management plan, and you may find that your sleep quality dramatically improves.

For help overcoming personalized sleep issues that you’re dealing with, or for assistance managing your unique chronic pain situation, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today at (952) 738-4580.