Sleep is something everyone wants and loves, but not everyone gets the quality they desire. As chiropractors, we focus on diagnosing and managing conditions affecting the body's joints and muscles. Most of our patients come to us with pain as the main issue, which often disrupts their daily activities and joys. Painful experiences can make it tough to sleep well, and poor sleep, in turn, can make pain feel even worse, creating a harmful cycle. Feeling fatigued, anxious, and miserable during the day, people may resort to naps and caffeine to keep going, but this only makes it harder to sleep at night. With mood and energy low, they may worry more about their pain's cause and start avoiding activities they love, leading to even more misery and hindering pain recovery. While there's no magic trick to cure back pain, getting better sleep can play a big role.
Here are some tips from today's blog to improve your sleep hygiene:
Keeping a regular wake time is just as important as your bedtime. Waking up at the same time every day helps maintain your sleep cycle and the routine may help reduce anxiety in some.
Get plenty of bright light during the day to keep your internal sleep clock in check. Sunlight during the morning and throughout the day helps you feel tired in the evening and awake in the morning. If you're indoors (ahem, thanks English weather), try to keep your room well-lit.
Avoid light at night by making your bedroom as dark as possible. Light from outside and electronic devices can disrupt your sleep, so invest in good blackout blinds, turn off lights in your room and cover up any 'standby' lights emitted from electronic devices.
Be cautious of blue light (e.g. from TV screens, phones, and computers) in the later evening, as it suppresses melatonin production, the hormone that makes you sleepy. Avoid screens before bed or use apps or settings such as 'nightshift' on iPhone or 'F.lux' on your computer to give the screen an orange hue.
Consider the timing of your meals, aiming to eat most of your food during daylight hours or a few hours before bedtime. Carbohydrates in the evening can help promote sleep.
Exercise regularly to improve sleep quality and overall well-being. Being active during the day helps regulate your body's sleep clock. Why not couple exercise with outdoor light exposure via outdoor activities like walking, jogging, or cycling.
Try pre-bed sleep-inducing techniques like mindfulness or breathing exercises (look out for future blogs on this topic). Apps like 'Calm' or 'smiling minds' offer helpful guided meditations. Paradoxical intent can also be useful— a technique that gets insomniacs to lie in bed and focus on trying not to fall asleep (sounds counter-intuitive right? Give it a try and see what your brain thinks). Alternatively consider a hot and cold contrast shower before bed (repeat a few rounds of 15 seconds hot to 15 seconds cool) to help you wind down and relax for a better night's sleep.
For those with a racing mind struggling to fall asleep, keeping a bedside notepad can be a helpful addition. Jotting down any racing thoughts or worries can offload the mind, making it easier to relax and drift off to sleep.
We trust that these tips will improve your sleep quality. However, if pain and activity limitations are causing concern, feel free to reach out to one of our chiropractors for a consultation. Together, we can find the best approach to manage your case and get you back to doing what brings you joy.
Wishing you a restful slumber!
Ready for better sleep and pain relief? Call 07514 675 172, email optimumchiropracticclinic@gmail.com or book now to find an appointment online. Let our chiropractors help you find the best approach for a good night's rest and a joyful, pain-free life. Don't suffer in silence; reach out today.
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