Arthritis or joint pain is one of the most common health concerns which has affected the people of all age groups. Though there is no definite reason for the growth of this health concern however the good news is that if anyone developing its symptoms since a very long time can relieve its associated difficulties with some proven tips to ease arthritis and back pain through healthy sleep.
The pain of arthritis develops with some common symptoms such as stiffness in joints, swelling and severe pain with movements such as sitting, walking, stair climbing, etc. As this health concern develops in your joints so it can appear any of your joint areas such as in knee, back, shoulder, neck, etc.
Out of the long lists of arthritis types, some common ones include spinal arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, etc. It is really very difficult to sleep comfortably during nights when your body is affected with such a severe pain causing a health issue.
The condition of a patient gets worst especially if theyâre a victim of spinal arthritis or lower back pain concern. This is one of the largest joints areas of the human body so when a person gets a victim of back pain it’s too hard for them to fall or stay asleep peacefully throughout the night.
Moreover, the effect of sleepless nights not only affect their night hour resting schedule but it also hampers their next day performance in personal as well as professional life. With half sleep and foggy mind neither you feel refreshed in the morning nor you will feel enthusiastic for any work ahead for the day.
Also, researches show that poor sleep quality has a reciprocal relationship with your body pain. That means you can naturally relieve your pain intensity and severity when you manage to sleep well during night consistently. That means better the sleep quality lower arthritis or back pain issue and vice versa.
So to help you out below we have enlisted some effective tricks and tips which will not only ensure your sound and long hours sleep during the night for combating arthritis and back pain but will also improve your overall lifestyle as healthy sleep is beneficial for your overall health improvement.
14 Tips to Ease Arthritis and Back Pain through Healthy Sleep
Treat Your Arthritis and Other Health Issues
There are several health issues which can lead to chronic pain along with arthritis. So in order to have better sleep without further delay, you should treat the root cause of your chronic pain issue. Take an appointment with a physician to treat your arthritis health condition fully.
Also if you are suffering from other health problems as well such as sleep apnea or any other chronic diseases which are affecting your sleep or creating back pain then it is quite likely that you will face difficulty in sleeping and this persistent restless condition will make your arthritis pain more severe.
So as a first measure to prevent the sleeping disorder problem take immediate medical help to treat your all underlying health issues along with arthritis disease.
Take Over the Counter Medications
For immediate relief and to ensure sound and consistent sleep during nights you can take some common over-the-counter pills which are specially formulated for the night time pain relief. This will help you to ease your arthritis and back pain. Also, it will ensure healthy hour sleep by making you comfortable.
Sleeping Pills
Sleeping pills are prescribed medications which you can only avail in medical store if you carry a prescription for the same by the doctor. These pills are specially formulated for ensuring peaceful sleep during the night without any discomfort like body ache or arthritis pain.
It is specially prescribed to patients who are suffering from insomnia disease in which an affected patient faces difficulty in falling asleep or staying asleep for long hours during nights. If any patient has insomnia issue along with arthritis and back pain concern then it is quite impossible for them to stay asleep even for an hour.
In such condition the position of concerned patient get worst with time as in the lack of proper sleep during night the severity of other health issues such as arthritis and back pain get chronic which disturbs their personal, social and professional life as well by causing severe mental health concerns like stress, mood swing, depression, etc., it remains untreated for longer duration.
So it is very important for the patients of insomnia that after consulting with a doctor they should start taking a sleeping pill in order to fall asleep easily and to get relief from nighttime arthritis and other body pain issues.
Apply Heat Therapy for Relief
You can apply a heating pad over the joints areas of your body which are causing pain or aching severely. This heat pad application for 15 to 20 minutes will ease your pain and will make you comfortable so that you can sleep for the rest of night soundly.
Just like the heating pad application a warm water bath is also equally beneficial as well as effective to reduce your pain of arthritis or the lower backache. Make sure that after this warm water bath you give yourself enough time to get back your normal body temperature as you cannot sleep comfortably with an overheated body.
Change your Sleep Position
If you are facing arthritis or back pain constantly during nights then the possibility exists that your sleeping position is not appropriate which is leading to make your pain more severe or intense during nights. If this is the case you will not get relief until you will change your sleeping position or posture.
Change your sleeping side towards the comfortable zone or sleep by the side which is free of any type of arthritis or joint pain. For example, if your neck area aches during sleep then make a habit of sleeping on a flat pillow as it will ease your neck pain by reducing its stress.
Similarly, if you suffer from lower back pain during nights then sleep on your side so that your back joint will not get over pressurized. These small-small changes in your sleeping position will bring a drastic reduction in your pain intensity and you will ensure a peaceful sleep during nights.
Donât Lie on Bed Awaken for Too Long
As per the doctorâs staying awake for too long in bed sends a negative signal to your mind which then creates a usual habit that triggers your body to stay restless for next few hours whenever you lie on your bed for sleeping.
On the other hand, this type of trouble in sleeping make your arthritis pain worst during nights which makes it completely impossible to sleep even for a few hours in comfortable mode. So to relieve this concern make sure that you hit your bed only when you feel sleepy not before that.
You should only wait for 10 to 15 minutes in your bed if till then you donât fall asleep then leave you bed and indulge in some other light activities such as reading books or magazines etc. When you will completely assure that your body is ready to sleep then and only go to your bed.
This healthy habit will prevent your restlessness that you used to face previously and will also relieve your joints pain with full comfort.
Sleep on Your Back with Knee Support
If your back pain is troubling your sleep every night than sleeping on your back will be the best preventive measure to ease with such kind of a pain in the body. In this sleeping position, your body weight will be distributed evenly and there will be no single point or organ which will be over pressurized.
This is the best position for easing back, neck and other joints areas pain as it reduces the intensity of all the pressure points. Moreover keeping a pillow under your knees helps in reducing the pressure of your spine as it provides full support to the spinal cord.
Also, you can place a small pillow under your lower back area to fill the gap between your body and mattress. This sleeping posture is best for relieving your back pain and for sure sort comfortable sleep during nights.
Sleep on Front Side with a Pillow Under the Stomach
Though sleeping on frost side of your body is considered as the worst position of sleeping however under the condition where a person is not getting comfortable in any other sleeping position, can consider this unconventional trick.
In this sleeping pattern, you first need to lie on your bed by the front side of your body. Then place a pillow under your stomach to the hips area. This will help your spinal cord to align comfortably. As per your necessity, you can keep a flat pillow under your head or can sleep even without a pillow.
This sleeping posture is best for people suffering from degenerative disc or herniated disc disease.
Change Your Mattress
Your mattress texture and quality play an important role in both issues such as sleeping trouble and arthritis pain. An uncomfortable mattress is quite likely to increase your pain intensity leading to restless and sleepless nights.
So make sure that your sleeping mattress is comfortable one which can provide full support to your body and joints to ease with arthritis or joint pains. The mattress should not be too hard or too soft. A firm mattress is best for full body comfort.
Also, a good mattress topper is equally capable to provide full body support and a good option for those who are unwilling to invest in a new mattress.
Replace your Pillow to a More Comfortable One
Just like a mattress, your pillow should also be supportive one otherwise you will face difficulty in falling and staying asleep leading to worsening your arthritis and back pain. Make sure that pillow is not too high or not too hard.
Cervical and lumbar pillows provide supports to joint areas and help in easing discomforts and pain which is essential for peaceful and sound sleep during nights.
Follow Good Sleep Hygiene Technique
Follow a fixed sleep hygiene routine before going to bed for sleep as this will create a healthy environment for you to fall asleep as soon as you lie on your bed. Some examples of sleep hygiene routine include, following the same schedule for sleeping without delay, prepare a clean and fresh bedroom environment by changing your pillow cover or bed sheet if those are dirty as such changing creates a beautiful environment to sleep.
Avoid keeping any electronic devices in your bed, also keep your mental stress outside your bedroom and avoid drinking a coffee or other hot beverages before sleep as it can disturb your fixed sleeping schedule. These small changes will relieve your insomnia issue and will ease your arthritis and back pain.
Be Careful while Moving
Wrong moving postures are the most common mistakes which make the joint pains issue more chronic. So be very careful while moving your body when you get into your bed. Avoid sudden and jerky movements while twisting and turning your body on the other side.
Also when you wake up in the morning donât get down of your bed in a rush as it can make your back pain more severe from the starting of the day. So for the safer side turn on your side and then get up slowly pressing your weight on your hands instead of on your waistline.
Exercise Well to Ease your Specific Issue
Include exercise as a fixed part of your daily routine as it will strengthen your core areas of the body which is essential for preventing muscle spasm and joint pain during nights. Also, the effect of good workout habit on improving sleep quality is scientifically proven.
So practice well-planned exercise routine to ease your arthritis and back pain along with ensuring sound and comfortable sleep during nights. If you are suffering from arthritis then it is better than you ask for specific workout routine from an experienced physiotherapist as they can guide you better to ease your specific concern.
Manage your Stress Level
One of the prominent reasons for insomnia disease is stress level that overwhelms mental peace resulting in the affected person faces difficulty in falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the night. The more you remain to awaken in night grater the pain intensity if you are a patient of arthritis or back pain.
However by elimination all your stress you can ensure a peaceful sleep without any difficulty of joint pains. So to ensure this make sure that you avoid all stressful activities just before your bedtime. Instead, you can use some relaxation technique in order to calm down your mental and physical stress level like you can listen to some soothing music before bed or read a good informative book, etc.
Itâs really difficult to survive longer in a healthy way when someone gets a victim of chronic health issues such as arthritis or back pain. However, it can cope up if someone follows strictly to our aforementioned tips to ease arthritis and back pain through healthy sleep as because a sound and peaceful works like a natural healer to fight with any critical health issue.
[expand title=”View Article Sources“]
- https://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/features/arthritis-pain-sleep#1
- https://www.arthritis-health.com/blog/9-ways-you-can-sleep-better-osteoarthritis
- https://www.spineuniverse.com/wellness/sleep/how-get-better-sleep-spinal-inflammatory-arthritis
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320870.php
[/expand]