Posted by Heidi/Mermie But your fragmented sleep can leave you feeling like you didn't get any rest at all. Any pain can interfere with sleep. But some common causes of disturbed sleep are: Headaches It's not just the intensity of pain that can make it hard to sleep. Lavigne says that pain that varies -- that is worse some days than others -- is often the most likely to cause sleeplessness. "It makes sense," he says. "If you have constant pain for six months, you figure out how to cope with it. But if the pain level goes up and down, if it's unpredictable, you can't get used to it and it can really interfere with sleep." Finding Solutions These suggestions aren't specific to people with chronic pain -- they can help anyone with sleep problems. Cut back -- or cut out -- the caffeine. . But in all likelihood, they're just worsening your problem, since they disturb your sleep at night. So struggle through a few days without your dose of caffeine and see how you do. Avoid naps. Exercise, but not too late. While physical activity is good for everyone, intense exercise -- especially in the late afternoon and evening -- can rev your body up and make sleeping at night difficult. So try a more moderate exercise routine and make sure to do it before the evening. Cut out the alcohol in the evening. A nightcap might seem like the perfect way to put yourself to sleep. But the problem is that alcohol can interfere with your sleep cycles and wake you up later. Don't overeat in the evening. A stuffed stomach may make it harder to sleep, says Lavigne. Make your bedroom a calming place. It's very easy to have your bedroom become a multipurpose dumping ground. It might be filled with baskets of laundry, your kids' toys, and a blaring TV. But experts say that you should make your bedroom a more neutral, soothing place. In fact, they recommend that you reserve you bedroom only for sleeping and sex. Get rid of the distractions. Relax before bed. Don't do anything before bed that could get you anxious or excited. Avoid doing work in the evening or even getting into serious discussions with your spouse. Instead, try focused relaxation or breathing exercises. If you can't sleep, don't lie awake in bed . Willing yourself to sleep won't work -- you'll probably just make yourself anxious. So if you're not asleep within 15 minutes of lying down, get out of bed and do something else. Read a book. Take a bath. Listen to soft music. Once you feel yourself getting tired, get back into bed. Get up at the same time every day regardless of when you went to sleep. It's one way of getting yourself onto a schedule. For mild, temporary pain, over-the-counter painkillers -- like Tylenol, Advil, or Motrin -- may be enough. Some over-the-counter painkillers are sold with an antihistamine to help with sleep , such as Advil PM or Tylenol PM. However, over-the-counter medicines are not designed for long-term self-medication. For more severe or chronic pain, your doctor may recommend prescription painkillers, like Ultram or opioids -- such as OxyContin, Vicodin, codeine, and morphine. Other drugs can also help with pain, such as some antidepressants and anticonvulsants. To help with sleep, your doctor might recommend drugs typically prescribed for anxiety, called benzodiazepines (like Ativan, Klonopin, and Halcion.) A newer type of medicine called nonbenzodiazepine hypnotics are particularly helpful for sleep and appear to be better for longer-term use than benzodiazepines. They include Ambien, Lunesta, and Sonata. Clearly, there are a lot of medicines out there that can help.
on 8/27/2007, 4:00 am
You may not become conscious, and the next day you won't remember waking up.
Back pain
TMJ pain, which is pain in the temporomandibular joint of the jaw
Arthritis
Fibromyalgia, which can cause pain throughout the body's muscles, ligaments, and tendons
Neuropathy, or nerve pain
Premenstrual cramping
Acute injuries, surgery, and more serious diseases, like cancer, can also cause pain and sleeplessness.
Experts strongly recommend that people with chronic pain and insomnia practice good "sleep hygiene," a medical term for good sleep habits.
If you're overtired, coffee, tea, and caffeinated sodas may help you get through the day
"Napping during the day just reduces the amount you can sleep at night," says Roth.
Using Medicines
Medication, either to ease pain or help sleep -- or a combination of both -- can be invaluable to people who have their sleep disturbed by pain.
Message Thread:
« Back to thread