[sanora78]

I am almost 78 and I have osteoarthritis in my hands, feet, hip, etc. I  had a sailing accident over 49 years ago which still hurts. When I do get to sleep, the hip pain and a hardening achilles tendon & broken bone spur in my left foot awakens me and I can’t put my foot on the bed unless I use a soft pillow under it.  I usually end up fighting to keep the pillow under my foot part of the night.  When I can’t sleep I drink Yogi camomile tea, rub voltaren gel on the areas that are keeping me awake & it helps ease the pain a little.  The dr. that I have will no longer prescribe any pain pills & I had to fight just to get the voltaren gel that I had used for years. They seem to treat us old people like the drug addicts that take the pills to forget their problems or get high.   I have not been able to sleep well since my Husband passed 3 years ago, but mostly it is the pain issue that keeps me awake. I have tried to ignore the pain & I have been successful at times, mostly in the day,  but I found out that when I couldn’t get back to sleep at night, I have been playing games on my kindle which is a no no and sometimes I drink regular tea later in the evening.  I hope to learn what I need to change so that I can get my energy back from not getting adequate sleep.

[Martin Reed]

Perhaps unsurpisingly there is a strong link between pain and poor sleep. Not only does pain disrupt sleep, but sleep deprivation is thought to lower our pain threshold, making pain feel more severe. This, of course, then creates a vicious cycle of an increasing perception of pain and decreasing sleep quality.

Although I can’t help address the pain caused by your hip, achilles and bone spur, I can suggest that you do all you can to take steps to improve your sleep that are unrelated to the pain you live with on a daily basis. Of course, you can’t just magic your pain away, but you can give yourself the best chance for sleep each night by doing things like:

* Sticking to a regular (and appropriate) sleep schedule
* Only using the bed for sleep
* Getting out of bed when you can’t sleep
* Practicing relaxation and/or meditation

Has your doctor given you any suggestions for improving sleep while living with chronic pain?

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The content of this post is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or any other licensed healthcare provider. Insomnia Coach LLC offers coaching services only and does not provide therapy, counseling, medical advice, or medical treatment. All content is provided “as is” and without warranties, either express or implied.

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