ANCSLEEP BLOG

Is pain keeping you awake at night? You are part of a group with nearly 40 million adults in the U.S. also struggling with severe pain. 80% of those individuals have sleep disturbances and more than half have insomnia. In fact, most patients with chronic pain as report that as the reason for intermittent sleep disturbances. 

Focusing on the anxiety that comes from pain can turn into this endless cycle of poor sleep, anxiety about pain, which then leads to more sleep disturbances and increased pain. The mind and the body are interconnected, and the more anxious you feel anticipating a bad night of sleep, the more tense you'll feel which can further contribute to feelings of pain as well as sleep disturbances. The more pain you experience while sleeping, the less dopamine your brain will make and opioid receptors that you have, making you more sensitive to pain. 

Getting good sleep is vital for pain management. But knowing that fact can have one of two effects: increase one's motivation to find solutions for great sleep, or increase the amount of anxiety that one feels about the necessity of good sleep that they are not going to get. Continue reading to learn more about how to overcome feelings of pain throughout the night.  

Back pain is a common issue that many people struggle with on a daily basis. The back is an intricate part of the body that consists of many muscles, fibers, and bones. When these get out of whack, that can cause back pain. 

The lower back back is extremely load bearing, meaning it holds a majority of our weight all day. Having weaker back muscles and poor posture can increase the risk for developing back pain, especially with poor posture. 

Back pain can interrupt a majority of the day, making activities like walking, playing and sleeping much more challenging. Exercise and stretching are the best methods for attending to back pain, yet back pain can make doing all of these activities nearly impossible. 

Sleep is another aspect of life that back pain negatively impacts. Pain disrupts sleep, and poor sleep can make pain worse. Also, sleeping in a position that doesn't support the back, or on a mattress with poor support can worsen lower back pain.  

If you understand the relationship between sleep and back pain, then you may be able to better address both sleep and back pain issues at once. Continue reading to learn more about this complex relationship. 

Insomnia is a common symptom of multiple sclerosis, or MS. MS is an inflammatory disease that can become quite debilitating, including messing up sleep. Sleep deprivation can lead to daytime fatigue and low energy. Many experts believe that sleep-related disorders are direct consequences of the physical and emotional burden of MS. Continue reading to find out more about about MS and its impact on sleep, and how you can overcome these sleep issues. 

Nerve pain has many causes, including diabetic neuropathy, trauma, sciatic, lupus, arthritis, and the list goes on. It is a very unsettling pain with very little relief. The pain can range from bothersome tingling to unbearable shooting pain down your leg. For some, this pain seems to intensify at night, making sleeping almost impossible.

The sad part about this symptom is that getting good sleep may actually buffer some of the pain from the neuropathy. So, if you are able to manage your sleep, then you may be able to reduce some of your pain. Continue reading to find out more about why your nerve pain is so poor at night and what you can do to get good sleep. 

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder of widespread pain and stiffness in muscles and joints. About 4 million people in the US have fibromyalgia, and although the cause of this condition is unknown, patients can treat and manage their symptoms through medication, therapy and lifestyle changes. 

Sleep disturbances are common in those with fibromyalgia. For some, a lack of sleep can actually exacerbate their pain symptoms and lead them to a vicious cycle of pain that ruins sleep and lack of sleep that increases pain. This can make life seem almost unbearable and ruin every aspect of one's life. However, by practicing good sleep hygiene and adapting healthy sleep habits, one can alleviate fibromyalgia-related sleep issues. Continue reading to learn how to manage fibromyalgia through sleep. 

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that involves certain joints and bones in various regions of your body. It can be very painful and discomforting, as well as debilitating. One way that it really disrupts life is by interrupting one's ability to sleep. 

Sleep can be vital in the healing and rehabilitation process. However, the pain from OA can cause many barriers to getting that sleep. Continue reading for more information on the relationship between OA and sleep, and how you can get good rest if you do have OA.  

Insomnia is the inability to go to sleep. Primary insomnia means there is no underlying reason why you cannot go to sleep, but you are simply having trouble getting a good night's rest. Secondary insomnia is an identifiable cause that is preventing you from going to sleep. 

One common secondary cause is painsomnia. Painsomnia is a term that combines the words pain and insomnia, and refers to insomnia caused by pain. Paincan making sleeping almost impossible, as you are unable to relax enough to go to sleep. Not only does painsomnia make it impossible to sleep, but having a lack of sleep can make pain symptoms worse. So it very much is a double edged sword, the relationship between sleep and pain.

Continue reading to find out more about painsomnia and what are some steps you can take to reduce the disruptions you currently face. 

Chronic pain is a debilitating aspect of life that involves discomfort, inflammation, and other chronic illnesses that impact everyday life. Not only does chronic pain impact daytime function, but also negatively impacts the bodies' ability to go to sleep. Here is some information on what pain is, common sleep disturbances, and some coping strategies to deal with pain in order to sleep better. 

How Much Are We In Pain?

Pain-related sleep loss is a real thorn in the side of society. The 2015 Sleep in AmericaTM Poll found that 21% of Americans experience chronic pain. It also found that 36% of people have experienced acute pain in the last week.

The bottom line? It indicates that more people were in pain than weren’t in pain within the last week. If you are reading this, you are likely in the majority (pain) category.

Pain is all too common in our world today, and it greatly impacts our quality and quantity of sleep. Chronic pain can really hinder your ability to get a good night’s sleep, which makes it harder to heal, and creates many other complications. Here is a quick overview of how muscles and pain interact with sleep, and some tips for how to improve your sleep, even in the presence of pain.