Chiropractic Tips for Pain-Free Bedtime
By Sara Butler
Chronic pain can put a damper on many activities in your life, chief among them sleep. Many people who have to deal with pain day in and day out suffer from severe pain that keeps them awake at night. This is a problem since your body needs proper sleep to rejuvenate and regenerate. Here are a few tips from the chiropractors at The Joint Chiropractic to help those with chronic pain get better rest at bedtime.
Why Pain Seems Worse at Bedtime
You can be really tired after a long day and feel as if your pain has been pretty well managed, but when you lay down to get some shut-eye your pain seems to flare up. This is due to the fact that during the day you are often distracted by other activities. Your brain has something to focus on aside from the pain, but when you lay down and those distractions go away, the pain comes right to the forefront.
Pain levels can also be worse at night if you've done things such as sat too much during the day or practiced poor posture. It depends on the underlying condition causing the pain.
How to Reduce Bedtime Pain
There's no magic bullet that works for everyone when it comes to pain experienced at bedtime. However, there are several things you can try to help aside from ongoing visits to the chiropractor.
A few strategies you can harness at bedtime to help include:
- Deep breathing exercises - There are several ways to practice deep breathing exercises to help your body relax and to take your mind off the pain, but the easiest is simply to count to four as you inhale, then count back down to zero as you exhale.
- Visualization - This is a relaxation practice where you imagine yourself someplace relaxing and carefree, like the beach. You focus on something in the scene, such as the waves lapping up against the shore, and try to drift off to sleep focusing on that image and sound.
- Heat therapy - If you're struggling with pain that is chronic, then you need a good heat wrap. You can buy disposable heat wraps that you can place on the body to leave on overnight. Or buy a reusable heat wrap that you can warm up in the microwave. The heat helps to increase blood flow to the area and can help fight inflammation to help you get comfortable enough to sleep.
Sleeping with pain is no fun. If you suffer from pain at bedtime, then come to The Joint Chiropractic for an evaluation today.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Las Vegas, Nev.