With the curtains drawn and a quiet room in the middle of the night, it is easy to assume that everyone is asleep. But as 3 AM rolls around and you are still wide awake and frustrated that sleep won’t come, it is easy to feel like you’re alone. In reality, over a quarter of the population in Canada struggles with sleep, but the effects of sleep deprivation are felt more by those with chronic conditions. The culprit can be persistent pain, a busy brain, or your routine – at the end of the day, it can be a result of many factors.
Learning how to move forward in your chronic illness journey is made up of many different steps. To help you get started, let’s dive into what sleep hygiene is, how it relates to chronic conditions and easy tips you can use in your everyday life.
Why is Sleep Hygiene So Important?
Let’s start with a definition: What exactly is sleep hygiene? It is characterized by healthy sleep habits or behaviours that you use to help you fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night. These behaviours are not the same as your normal hygiene routine like brushing your teeth or taking your medication, but they are just as easy to adopt. Did you know that your day-to-day habits like certain food choices, your work schedule, and your routine impact your quality of sleep?
4 Signs of Poor Sleep Quality You May Have Missed
- Trouble falling asleep
- Disrupted or sporadic sleeping hours
- Increased feelings of anxiety and depression
- Brain fog and fatigue
Ignoring the warning signs of poor sleep hygiene isn’t winning you any brownie points, and pushing through to the point of exhaustion can make coping with chronic illnesses more difficult. But how important is sleep hygiene?
Some of the benefits of sleep hygiene include:
- A Stronger immune system
- Lower risk of heart disease
- Improved mood and memory functions
- Lower anxiety and depression
- Increased confidence
Making sleep a priority in your routine is crucial for your mental and physical health, and it can help you take back your life.
How Does Chronic Pain Impact Sleep Quality?
Chronic pain doesn’t take a break, and it can find ways to make even the nighttime hours difficult to manage. Pain impacts your sleeping patterns as you may need to move around more frequently to get comfortable which results in long-term sleep deprivation, and less sleep means a higher pain sensitivity. When pain is overwhelming, you may experience shorter sleep cycles, or obstructive sleep apnea if it goes undiagnosed. When was the last time you read the label of your medication? Many medications can impact sleep cycles due to unknown side effects.
7 Tips for Managing Sleep Hygiene and Chronic Conditions
- Control your stress: Only you know what is manageable when it comes to stress. When your brain feels busy, it can be difficult to fall asleep. Take time to make a to-do list, write down your worries, and save it for tomorrow. When it is written down, you can focus on relaxing and spend less time fixating on what else needs to be done in a day.
- Take time for yourself: When was the last time you took time to relax at the end of a busy day or week? Spending time doing something you enjoy can help to lower your stress from the day and soothe your body and mind. Sit down with a book, go for a walk outside, or take a bath.
- Seek out natural light: The best way to wake yourself up naturally is as simple as seeking out sunlight. You can get an energy boost without the need for caffeine, while also helping your senses adjust to the daylight. If you struggle with seasonal depression, consider using a Happy Light for 20 minutes each day.
- Create a sleep schedule: Adults need at least 7 hours of sleep every night to be fully refreshed but it can feel far from realistic. Find ways to change up your nightly routine, whether it is cutting down on screen time or setting an alarm to start getting ready for bed.
- Limit your nap quota: While everyone loves a good catnap, they don’t make up for consistently poor sleep quality and can make it harder to fall asleep at night. Instead, find ways to incorporate relaxing activities or downtime into your routine.
- Dedicated sleeping areas: How often do you find yourself lounging on your bed in the middle of the day? When you find a new place to lounge or work, it can help to train your brain that your bed is for sleeping and not everyday life.
- Know the signs: If you are feeling fatigued early in the evening, it is okay to listen to your body and prioritize sleep. Likewise, if you aren’t feeling tired, don’t force yourself to go to bed if you will just lay awake for hours. As a rule of thumb, if you don’t fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up and try to do something else that won’t further wake you up. Once you feel ready, try again.
When it comes to chronic illnesses, you are not required to justify to anyone why you may not feel up for plans or struggling with fatigue. Finding new tips and tricks to manage your fatigue will help you find your footing while managing your condition and taking the next steps to live fully. If you are interested in building up your self-care routine for chronic illnesses, check out our previous blog post.
At Supportegy Wellness Coaching, we believe in the power of people. If you are looking for an opportunity to connect and grow in the community, we offer a variety of online and in-person coaching services for chronic pain support that can be tailored to your specific needs and desires. Contact us today to book a free consultation and take the first step toward your transformation.