The pain of arthritis or other types of joint pain makes it tough for as many as 80% of people to get a goodnight’s sleep. Arthritis is a condition that causes pain and inflammation in any joint of your body, which can limit your daily activities like walking for long distances and going up and down the stairs.
Most individuals with arthritis claim to encounter trouble sleeping due to the pain. Tossing and turning at night due to achy, swollen and stiff joints is an all-too familiar experience for those living with any kind of arthritis.
So why does your pain seem to get worse during the night? Well, it is a vicious cycle, the reciprocal relationship of arthritis pain and sleep. The poorer the sleep, the worse the joint pain can get. Research supports that you are more sensitive to pain from lack of sleep as it can trigger inflammatory pathways. Muscles in your body recover during the night when you’re fast asleep and when they are not able to do so, it leads to fatigued and more sore muscle and joints during the day. Your joint movements like of the knees, hips, spine, hands and feet, gets used every day. By the end of the day, their overuse can cause joint stress, muscle soreness, and inflammation. In osteoarthritis, joints get wear down rather quickly the day progresses, which can cause potential inflammation and pain.
Disrupted sleep affects pain due to the way the central nervous system (CNS) processes pain. Research says that “the CNS pathways (the spinal cord and brain) that regulate pain may be abnormal in people who are not sleeping well.” People with greater sleep problems tend to experience abnormalities in pain.
Another reason your joint pain hurts more at night could be due to your hormones. The anti-inflammatory hormone known as cortisol are naturally low at night, making your joints more susceptible to pain and swelling. Sleeping in one position can also cause your muscles and joints to stiffen up.
Steps to Avoid Joint Pain at Night
If your joint pain causes you ‘painsomnia’ (inability to sleep due to pain) there some ways you can use to make it better:
- Get Moving
Moderate exercise or physical activity can actually help reduce pain and treat arthritis. Engaging in atleast 30 minutes of any low-intensity workout will help warm the muscles and keep your bones and muscles strong and fit. If you want to reduce the pain when you bend over, stretching exercises like yoga is very beneficial and would also increase your mobility and flexibility.
- Practice better sleep regime
This comes as a no surprise but keeping a good sleep hygiene can do wonders for your pain. Have a scheduled sleeping and waking time. You can also consider keeping a pillow between your knees to place your spine in a neutral position and to reduce pain.
- Try CBT
Doctors say that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can help train your brain to process pain and your response to it. Since pain is partly psychological, CBT can modify how you perceive pain by altering your responses to it and even the signals that tells you that you’re in pain.
- Take a hot shower
It is a well-known fact that a good old hot shower helps with muscle soreness. If you feel joint stress and achy, hop into a hot shower. The moisture of the heat is supportive in relaxing muscles and joints.
Medications also works well with managing pain symptoms. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) can ease joint pain and make it easier to sleep. Discussing your medication option with a doctor may also help.
