How Better Sleep Can Help You Manage Your Pain

Quality of sleep and the pain you experience go hand in hand. Whether you have chronic pain or just “slept in a funny position” you’ve experienced stiffness or soreness in the morning. Aches and pains can keep you from sleeping well or cause you to wake up during night. If that describes your situation, you’re not alone. Chronic pain interrupts the sleep of 20% of Americans multiple times per week.¹ It’s a vicious spiral that can reduce your quality of life. Equally as important, quality sleep allows your body to recuperate and gives you the mental energy to face your day fully.

A 2013 study found that poor sleep is a RELIABLE predictor for the worsening of existing pain or development of new pain. It goes on to say that poor sleep likely interferes with your body’s natural pain management processes.²

You might be surprised to learn that poor sleep can actually cause you to feel more pain than you would otherwise and quality sleep can reduce your sensitivity to pain.² Research has found that pain intensity can be greatly affected by the number of hours you slept the night before.³ Armed with this information you can see how important it is to manage your pain during the day and get the best sleep possible at night. With a healthy sleep routine, you may even be able to reduce the amount of pain medication need to take.

Your healthy sleep routine needs to be built on good sleep habits. We know that it takes about three weeks for a habit to become ingrained. Pick a few things from this list and dedicate yourself to making the changes for 21 days. You have to give yourself a chance to succeed. If after 21 days you think the routine is working, it will be that much easier to continue because you’ve already built the habits.

How to Fall Asleep

Summer Time Blues And “Alternative” Neck Pain Management

Hello, hello! I’m sorry we’ve been so quiet lately. We had a number of production delays and other fires to put out, but we’re still working hard to get the original 4 inch pillow in-stock as soon as possible. The new ship dates should be around the end of October. There will still be plenty of time to order for the Holidays.

Changing gears…

Photo credit: Yogajournal.com

Have you ever heard of or tried mindfulness meditation? If you’re starting to tune out, stay with for just a couple of minutes. I just saw an article on YogaJournal.com about meditation as a support for neck pain relief. The gist of the article is that most neck pain is caused by some sort of tension or stress. Mediation is a proven stress relief method. In fact, meditation is so well documented that it is recommended stress relief method in the Dr. Dean Ornish Cardiac Rehabilitation Program. The Ornish Program is a lifestyle change program that is proven to manage and some times reverse (yes, reverse) heart disease symptoms. Also, the Ornish Program is a paid benefit through Medicare, so it’s not some pseudo-science treatment, it has a track record of real results.

Five Simple Exercises For Healthier Ankles

Injury While Hiking

I may have mentioned my ankle injury before. In March I went on a backpacking trip to Kaaha (kah-ah-hah) in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Most of the group went out early on Friday, but because I was working I had to head out in the early evening. It’s a 4 mile hike that takes 3-4 hours in daylight. I’ve never hiked this particular trail before so, of course, I took the wrong trail at the trailhead. Not a great start.

By the time I figured out that I was heading the wrong way it was getting dark. I had my headlamp and there aren’t any large animals to worry about, so I figured I would hike down in the dark. I was able to call the rest of the group on a weak cell phone signal so they knew my situation. Although it’s just 4 miles, the elevation change is about 2000 feet and most of that is in the first 2 miles on loose gravel. I think you can see where this is going…

Improve Your Neck Pain In A Few Minutes (A Day)

I mentioned in my the last email that my lower back feels much better if I do some light stretching every day. I’m a big believer low intensity maintenance. Not only can stretching improve blood flow, but it does some strengthening work for those muscles. I found this great info-graphic with super easy stretches you can do while sitting at your desk, on the couch, or even at the park.

Category: Exercise