It Hurts Too Much Too Sleep

If you suffer from sinus pain, chronic pain, arthritis, nerve pain like sciatica or an injury, the discomfort can keep you awake. Sometimes it's a matter of changing pain medications, or of simply changing the time that you take them. A pill that makes you sleepy every afternoon may be taking the edge off at the wrong time-consider taking it later in the day to maximize your use of its helpful side effect. Treat the underlying problem rather than compounding potential drug interactions by adding sleeping pills to the mix.

Pain Treatments

Pain can be addressed by acupuncture, massage, ice packs, exercise and stretching, topical rubs or judicious use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS for short) like ibuprofen, buffered aspirin or acetaminophen. There are also pain-relieving herbs that can reduce inflammation, treat muscle or nerve pain and act as relaxants or sedatives.

One simple pain remedy that's often very effective is the ice pack. When we're hurting, we tend to view ice packs with dislike: cold sounds uncomfortable! But once you get ice on that aching muscle or bruised tendon, it's amazing how the pain can dissipate. That's because the ice is reducing the swelling that presses on the nerves send pain signals to the brain.

Heat works better to relax sore muscles and to increase blood flow. Increased blood flow also increases the rate that toxins are removed from your muscles. But if you're using a heat-based remedy, either hot compresses or a warming pain gel, and find it's not working, you might consider switching to a cold pack: you may find it brings more relief, and quicker too.

Relax, and Pain Lessens (or Disappears!)
Relaxation techniques often work for pain because our bodies and our minds are always in communication. Tension headaches are a result of muscle tension that comes from stress: alleviate the stress and the muscles relax; no longer pressing on the nerves, and the pain goes away. You can visit a counselor or a hypnotist for relaxation therapy, or you can find free relaxation videos and soothing music on YouTube.

Oddly enough, some pain is addressed by exercise. Stretches can reduce or temporarily eradicate sciatic pain; walking can reduce back pain and qigong is good for all sorts of pain. Sometimes pain is the way your body tells you that you've got to get moving. So, move! Move gently and slowly at first, but listen to your body: if you find that your pain diminishes and your sleep improves after doing a little yoga, you've learned a health-promoting way to cope with pain and insomnia.

Bad Beds Cause Pain

Back, neck and leg pain experienced after going to sleep may be directly attributable to what you're sleeping on. You may need a mattress that's harder or softer. You can try putting an egg crate foam mattress underneath your fitted sheet, or fold an extra duvet and use it for padding. To make your mattress firmer, place a sheet of plywood underneath it. If your mattress is more than 10 years old (or a futon that's become flat and hard over time), it may be time for a whole new mattress. Shop around and try beds out by lying down on them. If you can afford a really good mattress, "spring" for it--after all, with a good bed, you will spend a third of your life sleeping!

Getting a good night's sleep may mean getting puffier or flatter pillows, a bigger bed, more comfortable sheets, or a cooler or warmer bedroom. These are easy fixes and can pay off big in increasing your feelings of comfort! If you suspect that your environment may be causing your insomnia, you are lucky because you can make simple changes and get back to a good night's sleep.