Sleeping for women with chronic illness is essential as it’s important for healing and rejuvenating your body and mind. Not getting enough sleep can increase stress and inability to deal with pain. Getting to sleep can be incredibly difficult for those suffering with pain or other conditions which make it uncomfortable to lay in a certain spot, or to calm a racing brain.
The obvious helpful tips for getting to sleep can still be useful but more than likely if you have a chronic illness then your sleep plans may need to be far more elaborate.
Here are some helpful tips:
- Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day. Your body will get used to that routine and start to feel tired close to bedtime.
- The perfect night routine – this might incorporate no screens for 1 hour prior to bed, meditation or relaxing music, journaling, baths with Epsom salts, reading a book, hot tea or milk, aromatherapy massages, and dimmed lights.
- Comfort is paramount – your bed is your sleep haven so strive to make it as comfortable as possible. Some ideas are lots of pillows to put under sore areas, the perfect mattress, fleece or bamboo sheets, or a mattress wedge.
- See your health care provider for herbal supplements that might be helpful like melatonin or magnesium.
- Treat your room like a sleep sanctuary – try to reduce using devices, TVs, work and doing other activities in your bedroom. Cover up lit up clock faces. Ensure that the temperature is not too hot or cold – on the cooler side is better for sleeping.
- And don’t spend too long in bed – try to use your bed for sleep and intimacy only.
Adapted from Healthline and Sleep health foundation
Helpful resources
https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/
https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/anxietyandsleep.html
https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/pdfs/Chronic-Fatigue.pdf
https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/sleep-newzzz/201309/chronic-illness-and-insomnia
https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/diabetes-sleep.html
https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/pain-and-sleep.html
https://creakyjoints.org/living-with-arthritis/chronic-illness-fatigue-tips/
https://www.healthline.com/health/productive-daily-naps-chronic-illness