Pain and Sleep

Getting a good night’s rest is critical to better managing your chronic  pain. Sleep and rest calm the nerves and can reduce the inflammation  that occurs when you have chronic pain. As such, improving your sleep  quality can reduce your chronic pain the following day. Pain can disturb your ability to fall asleep and you may find that your sleep is disrupted by long periods of being awake throughout the night. As a result of a restless night’s sleep, you may feel tired and drowsy throughout the following day. You may also find that you are not as alert, affecting your ability to focus and work.

Sleep problems and fatigue can contribute to the onset of pain. A lack of sleep can increase your awareness of pain and reduce your ability to tolerate pain. When you are looking at managing your pain, it is important that you are screened for issues related to sleep and tiredness. One cause of disturbed sleep is sleep apnoea.

Sleep apnoea is a condition where repetitive pauses or reductions in  breathing occur during sleep. While it can occur at any age, it is more  commonly reported in men than woman and often associated with being  overweight. A common symptom of sleep apnoea is snoring, although this  symptom is not prevalent in all cases.

Sleep apnoea reduces the oxygen entering the system, which can have  detrimental effects on sleep quality and health, increasing the risk of  several conditions including:

• Obesity
• High blood pressure
• Stroke
• Heart attack
• Type 2 diabetes
• Depression

Depending on the cause, managing sleep apnoea may require equipment.  There are various tools to screen for disturbed sleep, which are used  for identifying sleep disorders relating to sleep apnoea.

Treatment can vary from person to person and according to the severity  of the sleep apnoea. Continuous Positive Airflow Pressure (CPAP) is used  to treat moderate to severe symptoms, which prevents sleep apnoea by  blowing air into a mask that covers the nose and mouth. Those with mild  symptoms may benefit from treatment such as losing weight and reducing  alcohol consumption. 

Fifty percent of people suffering from chronic pain experience poor  quality of sleep as a result of sleeping difficulties. Addressing  chronic pain and sleep depends on the condition, however practicing good  sleep hygiene and treating the root of the problem with a GP are the  first steps to improving the condition. 

Be aware that sleeping pills can cause irregular sleep patterns, as over  time, the body can become reliant on the pills to sleep at night.  Consult your pharmacist or GP to discuss if sleeping pills are right for  you. Alternate options such as drinking herbal teas including  peppermint or chamomile can also help the body to relax.