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Wondering How to Get Sleep While Suffering from Chronic Pain? 5 Hints to Improve Your Sleep

When was the last time you got a good night’s sleep? According to WebMD.com, studies show that not getting enough sleep can actually make you more sensitive to pain. But how can you sleep when it hurts so much?

Here are five tips to help you sleep better:

When pain keeps you up all night, and you have the old 8-5 work day waiting for you in the morning, sometimes it seems like the only alternative is caffeine. But in truth, caffeine consumption can actually make the situation worse. Consuming caffeine in the afternoon and evening can keep you up at night, resulting in poor sleep. In addition, caffeine can actually make you more sensitive to pain. The more caffeine you consume, the more alert you are, and the more you feel what’s happening in your body, according to a study by Elsevier Inc., caffeine is also known to make people more irritable, as does chronic pain, so the marriage of the two leads to increased irritability, which affects relationships and your ability to rest.

2. Practice relaxation techniques

Relaxation techniques can put your mind at ease at bed time. Putting on some relaxing music, snuggleing with a cuddle buddy, even practicing breathing techniques can help bring the sandman about. Focusing and even singing the words to a song can help take your mind off things. Although the effects are disputed, bedtime TV may help take your mind off the pain. Try to get your mind off of the pain, and your body as relaxed as possible. This will help ease your body to a place of relaxation that will lead to sleep.

3. Diet

Eating healthy is essential to good sleep. Try to eat at least one fruit or vegetable per day, and see where it leads you. Sugars should be limited. This helps in two ways: first, it helps your weight (which may help your injury in turn) and second, sugar is a stimulant that will keep you awake. Alcohol should never be consumed before bedtime as it impairs your sleep. While it seems to make you tired at the time you consume it, it will interfere with a good nights rest in the long run. Also, eating before bedtime should be discouraged. You should try to finish eating approximately two hours before you plan to go to bed for the night. If you eat right before bed, your body spends all night digesting instead of rejuvenating.

4. Use of painkillers

Some painkillers have caffeine in them, so beware of those. Use painkillers only as instructed by your doctor. Too many and you could stop breathing.

5. Bedtimes

Try to have a regular bedtime and wake up at a certain time. This establishes a pattern that your body can count on. Also, do not do anything in bed besides sleep and sex. This sets an expectation in your mind of sleep whenever your body is in bed. If you watch tv in bed, your body does not register that it is time to sleep.

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