Insomnia is a term that covers a wide range of sleep
difficulties: not being able to fall asleep until late, waking up
earlier than desired and waking up numerous times throughout the night.
Research shows that anywhere between 60% and 80% of people with chronic
back pain suffer from some form of insomnia.
Falling asleep requires that our minds be relatively clear. Most people assure that there is no distracting noise in the house and attempt to clear their minds of the day's stresses before trying to fall asleep. Once the mind is clear from the normal clutter, it tends to notice the pain you feel more acutely. Distraction, one of the key weapons in your arsenal against pain, is generally lacking when you're trying to sleep.
The pain you feel may also cause you to wake up frequently throughout the night, preventing you from getting a sufficient amount of deep sleep. Finally, you may wake in the morning earlier than planned, without being rested, and not be able to get back to sleep due to pain.
Treating Pain and Insomnia
When two problems are correlated, it is best to treat them together. Becoming dependent on sleeping pills and continuing on in pain may not be your only option. Your first step is to make sure you're getting the kind of treatment you need. Complementary and alternative medicine, including chiropractic care, movement therapies like yoga and tai chi, massage therapy and acupuncture, are all promising sources of pain relief. Yoga in particular may be a fitting option for people with chronic back pain and insomnia; it has a well-established history of effectively reducing pain and research and has also shown it to improve sleep quality. See more on yoga and insomnia at http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sleep-newzzz/201210/yoga-can-help-insomnia.
One of the best ways to prevent pain from distracting you when trying to fall asleep is to develop skills that redirect your focus in a calming, sleep-promoting way. Many people try to keep their minds empty when trying to fall asleep, but people with chronic pain may find this to open the door for pain to infiltrate the mind. Yoga may be effective at promoting sleep because it encourages the development of meditative skills that involve taking control of your mind's direction.
Since you want distraction from pain without exciting your mind away from sleep, the best mental technique for dealing with chronic pain and insomnia may be guided imagery. This technique uses the imagination to engage the mind and senses. It plays off the connection between the mind and body, helping the body relax by simulating calming situations and relaxing the mind by focusing it on one thing. Guided imagery can be pursued by using CDs, MP3s or your own internal script. See http://www.dartmouth.edu/~healthed/relax/downloads.html for free downloads of guided imagery, visualization and meditative exercises to help you relax and focus away from the pain.
Also consider following the classic advice concerning sleep hygiene: going to bed and rising at the same time each day, avoiding caffeine, large amounts of alcohol or intense exercise in the evening, listening to soothing music before bedtime and taking a warm bath before getting into bed.
Trying diverse methods of pain management and training the mind to focus away from pain can help you get better sleep. Both insomnia and chronic pain can reduce your quality of life. Keep an open mind concerning treatment options.
Falling asleep requires that our minds be relatively clear. Most people assure that there is no distracting noise in the house and attempt to clear their minds of the day's stresses before trying to fall asleep. Once the mind is clear from the normal clutter, it tends to notice the pain you feel more acutely. Distraction, one of the key weapons in your arsenal against pain, is generally lacking when you're trying to sleep.
The pain you feel may also cause you to wake up frequently throughout the night, preventing you from getting a sufficient amount of deep sleep. Finally, you may wake in the morning earlier than planned, without being rested, and not be able to get back to sleep due to pain.
Treating Pain and Insomnia
When two problems are correlated, it is best to treat them together. Becoming dependent on sleeping pills and continuing on in pain may not be your only option. Your first step is to make sure you're getting the kind of treatment you need. Complementary and alternative medicine, including chiropractic care, movement therapies like yoga and tai chi, massage therapy and acupuncture, are all promising sources of pain relief. Yoga in particular may be a fitting option for people with chronic back pain and insomnia; it has a well-established history of effectively reducing pain and research and has also shown it to improve sleep quality. See more on yoga and insomnia at http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sleep-newzzz/201210/yoga-can-help-insomnia.
One of the best ways to prevent pain from distracting you when trying to fall asleep is to develop skills that redirect your focus in a calming, sleep-promoting way. Many people try to keep their minds empty when trying to fall asleep, but people with chronic pain may find this to open the door for pain to infiltrate the mind. Yoga may be effective at promoting sleep because it encourages the development of meditative skills that involve taking control of your mind's direction.
Since you want distraction from pain without exciting your mind away from sleep, the best mental technique for dealing with chronic pain and insomnia may be guided imagery. This technique uses the imagination to engage the mind and senses. It plays off the connection between the mind and body, helping the body relax by simulating calming situations and relaxing the mind by focusing it on one thing. Guided imagery can be pursued by using CDs, MP3s or your own internal script. See http://www.dartmouth.edu/~healthed/relax/downloads.html for free downloads of guided imagery, visualization and meditative exercises to help you relax and focus away from the pain.
Also consider following the classic advice concerning sleep hygiene: going to bed and rising at the same time each day, avoiding caffeine, large amounts of alcohol or intense exercise in the evening, listening to soothing music before bedtime and taking a warm bath before getting into bed.
Trying diverse methods of pain management and training the mind to focus away from pain can help you get better sleep. Both insomnia and chronic pain can reduce your quality of life. Keep an open mind concerning treatment options.
Safe choices for pain management solutions exist. Educate yourself in alternative solutions for back pain management. Please ask questions, give comments or stories related to this article submission regarding back pain management.
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