5 Tips for Getting Better Sleep With Arthritis


When it comes to getting a good night's sleep, it can be tough. The normal stresses of everyday living, blue light and screen time at night, staying up too late, not getting quality sleep, waking up too early, and more can all contribute to making a decent night of sleep difficult to achieve.

Add into the sleep equation some arthritis pain, and you might end up finding that you are situated on the sleep equation's short end more often than you would like.

arthritis pain doctor in Floral Park

Pain-Sleep Connection

You may not know it (or maybe you do), but sleep and pain are actually closely connected. When you experience pain throughout the daytime, it can affect the quality of sleep that you get at night for the worse. A bad night of sleep can also have a relationship with the pain and even increase it the following day.

In order to go into sleep mode, the body and the mind must be able to gradually calm down. That can be tough to accomplish when you're actively feeling pain. You may not be as able to unwind and relax, drifting off to sleep. Even when waking up in the middle of the night or morning once having gone to sleep, it may be more difficult for people that go through arthritis pain to fall back asleep or stay asleep the entire night through.


Getting Better Night Time Sleep

Help set yourself up when it comes to getting a successful, restful night of sleep. Check out these five tips for sleeping better.


1. Skip the Naps

While a brief nap ever so often is okay once in a while, regularly sleeping throughout the day could impact the quality of your sleep. While you may be tempted to take one during late afternoon, doing that could end up disrupting your sleep cycle.


2. Get Exercise Daily

Getting exercise on a regular basis can help you to achieve the sleep of your dreams. Studies have shown that even light exercise can help you hit REM and get that valuable deep sleep that everyone craves. Just avoid working out up to three hours before you go to bed, as a rising heart rate and body temp may delay sleep more than you'd like.


3. Be Aware of What You Eat

They say that you are what you eat. When it comes to sleep, diet can make or break your bedtime routine. Avoid chocolate, coffee, alcohol or sugar close to bed. They may stimulate your brain and extend the amount of time it takes for you to drift off.


4. Develop a Night Time Ritual

Brushing your teeth, putting on pajamas, taking a bath or shower, and avoiding screen time before bed are all part of a nightly ritual that can prime your mind for bed and let you know that it's time to start winding down and go to sleep.


5. Keep to a Schedule

Going to sleep and getting up in the morning at the same time can help regulate your internal clock. Your body will routinely switch on and off the way that it's used to, so keeping a schedule can be helpful.

While living with arthritis can be tough, everyone's relationship with sleep is different. Find what is right for you and consult a doctor or sleep specialist if necessary.
Location: 261-12 E Williston Ave, Queens, NY 11001, USA

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