Pain causes sleep problems.
Acute and chronic pain is directly related to sleep problems. When your body hurts, your body uses its energy to heal everything that causes pain. And this shift in physical processes can lead to sleep disturbance.
People suffering from pain have difficulty falling asleep and sleeping, sleep less hours and wake up at night.
Dr. James S. O. Brien MD, FCCP, participated in sleep medicine 12 years ago, when he began to notice that many of his patients with undiagnosed sleep disorders did not respond to conventional medical procedures. When sleep disorders were diagnosed and treated, the patient's condition improved, and they reported a new sense of well-being.
Dr. O & Brien discusses some of the physical changes that our bodies experience when we suffer from pain and how it affects sleep. He received an interview for Medical News Today about the effect of pain on sleep. He told how pain can affect the ability of the body to "close".
When someone is sick, their hormones change. Adrenaline, the hormonal response of our body to pain, may be in the "overdrive" mode. When we have additional adrenaline, it is difficult to relax and get ready for bed. "The pain is obviously a spell of getting a good sleep." , says Dr. O & Brien.
Differentiating acute pain (due to recent trauma or muscle tension) from chronic pain (prolonged symptoms such as arthritis pain, as well as when the pain persists after the wound has healed) can help sleep. Acute and chronic pain can affect sleep in different ways. therefore, they may require different treatments.
Dr. Ellen Miller describes how drugs can make sleeping problems even more difficult. Medicines contain ingredients that stimulate the body and the nervous system. Some include caffeine, which stimulates the nervous system and suppresses sleep.
Medications may also have irritating side effects. Thus, then the sleep can be disturbed due to the initial pain and because of the drugs. side effects.
If you have trouble sleeping, or if you have pain that may affect your sleep, here are some of the sleep experts. The most common tips for improving sleep quality are:
* Avoid caffeine daily
* Exercise at the beginning of the day
* Avoid drinking too much fluid in the evening.
(author's note: hydrate at the beginning of the day, since dehydration can increase the symptoms of pain and interfere with sleep)
* Minimize alcohol consumption, especially in the evening
* Avoid spending time in bed, except for bedtime
* Practice meditation and relaxation techniques
* Install a "spinning ritual" around the bed
* Go to bed at the same time every night.
* Awake at the same time every day, even if you do not get a good night.
Basically, Prevention and lifestyle habits are the key to a good night. And understanding the connection between pain and sleep can help cope with problems with both!
