by Dennis Bruns, Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Specialist
Getting a good night’s sleep regularly is super important for your body to work properly. If you have ongoing sleep problems, it can make your body more inflamed. When it comes to taking care of your back, poor sleep can slow down pain relief for chronic back pain and make it take longer for your body to heal after spine surgery. It can also make you feel more pain even if nothing is getting worse inside your body because your nerves get more sensitive.
Have you ever noticed that you’re better at handling stress and pain after a good night’s sleep? If you’re having trouble sleeping, it can make you feel more pain and think that your wounds or back pain are getting worse, even if they’re not. Sleep problems can also make you more tired and less motivated to exercise your back.
So, in short, it’s important not to ignore sleep issues when you have acute or chronic back pain, especially if your sleep problems are happening all the time. Managing your sleep well means doing several things, like getting the timing right, eating well, doing enough physical activity, and keeping your emotions balanced, among other things. What you eat significantly affects your sleep. Recent research shows that eating poorly can mess up your sleep and make your back pain worse. Try to pay attention to what helps you sleep well and use simple solutions. If your sleep is still bad even after trying easy fixes, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor. They can figure out what’s causing the problem and make a plan that fits your need.
Best wishes for a good night´s sleep,
Physio Dennis Bruns
Copyright: Physio Dennis Bruns
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