Soothing the Senses: The Vital Connection Between Sleep and Chronic Pain Relief

If you have ever experienced chronic pain you know firsthand how difficult it can be to get a good night’s sleep. Sleep and pain appear to have a bidirectional relationship. For instance, many people say that their painful symptoms tend to be alleviated after a better night’s sleep. Therefore, if you are living with chronic pain, prioritizing sleep may significantly help in recovery.

What is Pain?

Pain is an unpleasant sensation that we experience when nerve receptors send a signal to the brain telling us something is wrong. Pain can be acute or chronic.

Acute pain refers to pain that lasts for a short time, such as a broken bone that eventually heals. Chronic pain refers to recurring pain or pain that lasts for longer than a few months, such as lower back pain, arthritis, recurrent headaches, cancer pain, or fibromyalgia.

Effects of Poor Sleep on Body Pain

There is an unquestionable link between sleep and pain, with research evidence showing that the effect of sleep on pain may be even stronger than the effect of pain on sleep.

Researchers found that poor sleep causes low levels of a neurotransmitter called N-arachidonoyl dopamine (NADA) within an area of the brain called the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN), resulting in heightened pain sensitivity, medically known as hyperalgesia.

The researchers explained that short sleep times, poor sleep quality, and fragmented sleep often cause increased sensitivity to pain in chronic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.

People with sleep problems also appear to be at a higher risk of eventually developing conditions like migraines and fibromyalgia.

Sleep and pain appear to share similar pathways and neurotransmitters. Therefore, sleep deprivation affects the release of essential neurotransmitters and hormones involved in pain regulation, such as serotonin and cortisol, contributing to increased pain sensitivity.

Lack of sleep can also cause inflammation in the body, which will often result in muscle aches and pains and can exacerbate inflammatory conditions like arthritis.

Discover how improving your sleep can reduce body pain

Sleep quality and pain sensitivity have a significant correlation. Good sleep quality can help decrease pain sensitivity. Adequate sleep is essential for maintaining healthy pain processing in the brain reducing the risk of chronic pain conditions.

Sleeping better also helps the brain with its painkilling capabilities. Sleep is considered a natural analgesic that can help manage and lower pain.

During sleep, the brain undergoes important restorative processes necessary for pain modulation, reducing the risk of chronic pain conditions.

Therefore, addressing sleep quality can lead to better patient outcomes with reduced pain levels, improved physical function, and better mental health outcomes.

Contact Us for a Chiropractic Appointment

If muscle and joint pains are making it difficult for you to enjoy adequate sleep, chiropractic may help.

Your chiropractor will use a range of techniques, including massage, heat application, joint mobilization, exercises, and advice to improve circulation and healing in the affected areas and relieve muscle and joint pains.

Contact 252-335-2225 to schedule a visit with Dr. Jason B. Jones - 706 W. Ehringhaus Street - Elizabeth City, NC 27909.