We recently had the pleasure of attending and presenting at the annual meeting for the Colorado Pain Society. Dr. Stoner gave a presentation on ketamine and chronic pain. In addition, we were able to attend several other presentations and connect with researchers and other healthcare professionals. Amy Wachholtz, PhD, MDiv, MSCP, University of Colorado/Anschutz, presented on the topic of sleep and pain. Her presentation was full of gems that we wanted to bring to our community. For our One Good Thing feature this month, we share results from a really interesting study on sleep and offer up some healthy reminders about sleep, why it’s important and how you may be able to get more of it.
The Study & Findings
We learned of a study that shows that warm feet promote the rapid onset of sleep. In the study, participants wearing socks in a cool environment found that they experienced:
- Shortened sleep onset
- Lengthened sleep time
- Lessened awakenings during sleep
The socks had no significant influence on core body temperature.
So, if you have trouble sleeping and have been sleeping barefoot all this time, go find a comfy pair of socks and give it a try.
What Happens if You Don’t Get Enough Sleep?
When sleep is neglected, you may experience:
- Poor concentration
- Fatigue
- Difficulty making decisions
- Increased pain
- Moodiness
- Inflammation
- Increased appetite
- Weakened immune system
- Learning / synthesizing difficulties
It’s definitely worth putting some energy into improving your sleep. The benefits are endless.
Sleep Hygiene & How to Manage Occasional Sleeplessness
Sleep hygiene refers to behavioral practices, habits and environmental conditions and how you can work with these to set yourself up for a good night’s sleep. Amy shared the importance of creating a bedtime routine, including limiting exposure to video and devices in the time that precedes sleep. Likewise, avoiding caffeinated drinks, alcohol, and heavy foods before bed is a healthy lifestyle habit to practice for better sleep.
Even people who usually sleep well occasionally have difficulty sleeping. Amy shared these recommendations for those times:
- Get out of bed for a set time (say 30-60 minutes) and do something else, then try again – just take care that it’s something relaxing, not stimulating
- If your sleeplessness is related to anxiety or worry about tomorrow, do some preparation – give yourself the peace of mind of a to-do list or prep for the day
- Don’t exercise 30 minutes before bed – it’s too stimulating – mild stretching might help
- Take a warm shower or bath before heading to bed in a cool room
- Progressive muscle relaxation / meditation
- Aromatherapy – select a relaxing essential oil such as lavender, bergamot, or chamomile; using the same one each night helps signal to your brain that it’s time to sleep
- White noise apps (try: https://soundcloud.com/relaxing-white-noise)
- Consider alternative bedding or pillows
Practicing good self-care and sleep hygiene can help you to sleep well and wake up alert and ready to take on your day.
More reading:
- Effects of feet warming using bed socks on sleep quality and thermoregulatory responses in a cool environment https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29699592/
- What are Circadian Rhythms? https://glenwoodspringsketamine.com/2022/03/what-are-circadian-rhythms/
- Sleep Disturbances and Practical Solutions https://glenwoodspringsketamine.com/2022/06/sleep-series-part-2-sleep-disturbances-and-practical-solutions/
-
Tapping Your Toes Can Improve Your Health https://glenwoodspringsketamine.com/2024/05/toe-tapping/
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