When back pain affects you or a family member, you might despair of ever getting a good night’s sleep. Pain can disturb the sleep your family needs, night after night. But experts say that with proper treatment, the chances are very good that you or your loved one can get relief from back pain and enjoy normal sleep. Below, find out about treatments and lifestyle tips for better sleep.
Why Sleep Is Important
In previous articles, we had established why sleep is so important. In the case of back pain, this is another possible reason why a person may lack in quality sleep. The inability to get a good night’s sleep hurts – literally. Chronic back pain prevents you from sleeping well, and it could leave you can waking up hurting even more.
What’s worse, studies have shown that not getting enough sleep may actually make you more sensitive to pain. It’s a vicious cycle. Back pain can make it harder to sleep – and when you can’t sleep, your back pain may be worse. Anxiety and depression will likely make it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep, and the consequent sleep loss can lead to worse pain. Anxiety and depression themselves can also increase a person’s sensitivity to pain.
Some breathing-related sleep disorders are associated with obesity, and obesity is also linked with back pain. Sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea interfere with normal sleep patterns, leading to insufficient sleep and poor sleep quality. Sleep apnea can also be caused or exacerbated by narcotic painkillers, which some people are prescribed for severe back pain.
Limb movement disorders, such as restless legs syndrome, might further disrupt the normal sleep pattern. Fibromyalgia, a syndrome that affects the muscles and soft tissue, can cause pain throughout the body. It’s also linked to fatigue, anxiety, and sleep problems.
Medication and sleeping
Now we’re no medical professionals, but many prescription medications can impair the quality of your sleep according to research. For instance, some medications for conditions such as high blood pressure, epilepsy, and ADHD may also cause sleep problems. Check with your doctor if you think your medicine may be interfering with your sleep.
We believe there are meds that improve sleep and reduce chronic back pain. Some meds can help you get to sleep while helping with your chronic back pain. They should be used as part of a more comprehensive and widespread program of pain management and only under the direction of your doctor. The goal of medication should be to help you develop a more normal sleep pattern.
There are Over-the-counter pain relievers, and we would like to highly recommend seeking professional guidance from your doctor or pharmacist.
Lifestyle Changes for Chronic Back Pain and Sleep Problems
Here are some tips for getting a good night’s sleep with chronic back pain:
- Minimize stress. Yup, with a snap of the fingers poof and it’s gone! Seriously though, stress is the major cause of insomnia. It is also associated with chronic back pain.
- Limit or eliminate caffeine. Even moderate caffeine use can cause insomnia and sleep disturbances in highly sensitive individuals.
- Avoid eating heavily before bedtime. A heavy meal can cause acid reflux (heartburn) and keep you awake (depending on what you eat).
- Don’t self-medicate with alcohol. It’s worth restating that alcohol impairs the quality of sleep.
- Do some soothing exercises. Try relaxation techniques and ask your health provider or physical therapist about helpful exercises that you can do to help your back early in the day.
Choose a comfortable mattress and pillow. Now this is where we come in. Our Sleep Laboratory has been working wonders in establishing the right mattress for our customers. This is a free service. You don’t have to spend thousands on a mattress and be disappointed with the result. If however, you’re on a tight budget, there are ways we could suggest for you to try in order to improve your sleep.
- Try not to sleep on your stomach. Many of our customers have complained that sleeping on their stomach aggravates their back pain which can cause you to arch your back. Even though we can point out the right mattress for your sleeping posture and position, bending backwards often aggravates chronic back pain. To break the habit, wear a sleep shirt with a pocket in front and put a tennis ball in it. It’s a bit extreme but apparently, it helps. For most people, the best position is to lie on your side in a fetal position with a pillow between your legs. If you prefer to lie on your back, put a pillow under your knees.
- Establish a bedtime routine. Try to go to bed at a similar time each night. Follow a routine, such as setting the alarm, putting on your pyjamas, and brushing your teeth. Also, try to prevent working, or watching TV in bed.
We hope this has helped in some way. Please bear in mind we are not doctors nor rocket scientists, but bed specialists, and this info is based on some research as well as customer experience. Always consider consulting with a physician should you suffer from chronic pain.