How to Deal with Chronic Pain at Bedtime
By Sara Butler
The chiropractors at The Joint Chiropractic often see patients who are dealing with chronic pain in some form. For sufferers of chronic pain, bedtime can be difficult and getting quality sleep when dealing with pain may be even harder. The problem is that lack of quality restorative sleep may make you more sensitive to pain, throwing you into a vicious cycle of pain and lack of sleep that makes each problem worse. If this sounds familiar, then you need a few of these sleep strategies from the chiropractors at The Joint!
Why Pain is Worse at Night
Do you wonder why your pain seems to be at its worst when you are trying to lay down to sleep? There are a variety of reasons for this, from simple things such as distractions you face during the day from work and family that keep your mind off the pain, to factors that can impact your bodies such as poor posture and prolonged sitting. It may be worth it to think about the things you do during the day that can contribute to your pain levels at night.
Reducing Pain
The chiropractors at The Joint have a few suggestions that can help with pain at night, but it's important to realize that everyone is different and what works for you may not work for someone else. That being said, here are a few strategies you can try that may help reduce pain as you're trying to fall asleep at night:
- Visualization - Take your mind somewhere else, perhaps a tropical beach with waves gently crashing in the distance, or a forest with the wind rustling through the leaves. Imagine yourself somewhere and then try to immerse yourself in it to distract from the pain you're feeling as you try to fall asleep.
- Breathe deep - Deep breathing exercises can come in handy in a variety of situations, but when trying to fall asleep at night and reduce the pain, they can be very handy. Simply take a deep breath into the count of four, then exhale to the same count. Concentrate on your breathing and repeat until you're able to relax and drift off to sleep.
- Heat - Applying a source of heat to the area that's bothering you can be very helpful to relax the muscles and reduce pain
If the Pain Won't Stop
If the strategies discussed here don't work, then get in to see the chiropractor The Joint Chiropractic as soon as you can. The doctor can help you review your sleeping habits, the source of your pain, and talk to you about some strategies that may work better for your particular case.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Sacramento, Calif.