In part one of this multi-part blog series, we went over some of the basics on the connection between chronic pain and sleep quality. Many who suffer from chronic pain often struggle with sleep for connected reasons, and the two can build into a painful cycle in some cases.
At Neuropathy Treatment Clinic of Oklahoma, we’re proud to offer numerous chronic pain management services, with pain treatment solutions for a variety of issues – including those that impact your sleep. The ability to properly limit chronic pain often plays a huge role in the ability to obtain high sleep quality and quantity, and pain management is a significant factor here. In today’s part two of our series, we’ll go over some home strategies we recommend for limiting pain and obtaining better sleep.
Energy Levels
As many are well aware, your basic energy levels fluctuate throughout the day. This isn’t necessarily a linear process – your energy doesn’t start at a certain high point and diminish throughout the day, but rather ebbs and flows.
With this in mind, it’s important to track your body’s energy levels where sleep is concerned. We talked about setting a sleep routine in part one of the series – one big part of this is noting when your energy levels tend to dip at night, and timing your sleep schedule up with this energy drop. Look for common signs of sleepiness like yawning or lack of focus that might indicate your energy levels are dropping.
Associate Your Bed and Sleep
The mind and body create associations constantly. Think about when you’re hungry and you smell some great food – your mouth tends to water, right? That’s your body and your brain associating the food with your hunger.
You can create the same association effect with your bed and sleep. This means only using the bed for sleeping and never for any other activity – find other places to read, watch TV or otherwise relax. This maintains the bed as a safe sleeping space. In cases where you’re having trouble sleeping, leave the bed for a quiet, non-stimulating activity after 20 minutes so the space remains comfortable.
Nervous System Relaxation
To fall asleep, your body’s nervous system must calm down in the evening. There are numerous areas that play a role in the nervous system and its ability to relax, from pain management services like massage therapy all the way to many home themes: Relaxation techniques, meditation practices and related areas. Find a solid regular routine you can perform each night, or in cases where you know you’re stressed and may struggle to sleep.
For more on the connection between pain management and sleep quality, or to learn about any of our neuropathy treatments or chronic pain management services, speak to the staff at Neuropathy Treatment Clinic of Oklahoma today.
