12 Quick Tips for a Better Quality Sleep

Northern Pain Centre is committed to giving patient’s practical steps for managing many of the challenges they face as a result of their pain.  Welcome to our 12 Quick Tips Series.

 

 

Here are our 12 quick  tips for a better quality sleep:

  1. Eat a well balanced diet (learn more about diet and sleep here)
  2. Spend time in the sun – this helps your internal body-clock (learn more about sunlight and sleep here)
  3. Reduce stress, practice relaxation exercises (learn more about stress and sleep here)
  4. Move more – this helps pain and promotes fatigue (learn more about activity and sleep here)
  5. Avoid napping after 3pm (learn more about how to nap well here)
  6. Wake up & go to bed at the same time – your body loves routine and can maximise sleep quality (learn more about sleep hygiene here)
  7. If you wake up during the night, get out of bed after 20mins and do something relaxing until you feel sleepy again (learn more about stimulus control here)
  8. Avoid caffeine after 2pm (learn more about caffeine and sleep here)
  9. Make your bedroom your sanctuary – cool, dark, quiet and comfortable (learn more about the ideal sleep environment here)
  10. Avoid the “blue light” of technology before bed (learn more about the impact of technology on sleep here)
  11. Don’t panic when you don’t sleep, it only makes it harder to sleep. Try distraction instead by listening to https://www.sleepwithmepodcast.comto put you to sleep  (learn more about CBT-i for sleep here)
  12. Get support – talk to your psychologist, see your doctor to rule out any underlying causes that might be contributing your sleep (This Way Up: Managing insomnia online course here)

 

If you would like to learn more about the what sleep is, why it is important, what some common sleep problems are and how to get a better night’s sleep visit here.

 

Learn more about sleep hygiene

 

Read More Quick Tips

 

Sleep Resources

If you are wanting to learn more about getting a good night’s sleep, this section includes resources on:

  • Sleep and Pain
  • Better Quality Sleep
  • Sleep Problems
  • Free Worksheets

 

Sleep and Pain

  • Booklet: Getting a good night’s sleep (link)
  • Booklet: NHS: Sleeping problems (link)
  • Article:  NPC:  Sleep Series – Part 1: Understanding Sleep (link)
  • Factsheet: My Live Well with Pain: How to sleep well with pain (link)
  • Article: Sleep Hub.  Sleep Resources (link)
  • Article:  Pain Health: Sleep and pain management (link)
  • Article: National Sleep Foundation.  Pain and sleep (link)
  • Article: Practical Pain Management.  Pain and sleep: understanding the interrelationship (link)
  • Article: Institute for Chronic Pain: Sleep disturbances (link)
  • Article: Healthline: How poor sleep, depression, and chronic pain feed each other (link)
  • Article:  Havard Health: How to sleep well despite chronic pain (link)

 

Better Quality Sleep

  • Article:  NPC:  12 Quick Tips for a Better Quality Sleep (link)
  • Article:  NPC:  Good Quality Sleep (link)
  • Factsheet:  CCI:  Fact about sleep (link)
  • Factsheet:  CCI:  Sleep Hygiene (link)
  • Article: ICP:  Relearning to Sleep: How to Cope with Pain Series  (link)
  • Article: Healthdirect: Healthy sleep habits (link)
  • Article: Healtdirect: Sleep (link)
  • Article: Head to Health: Sleep (link)
  • Article: Brain Basics: Understanding sleep (link)
  • Article:  Headspace: How to sleep better (link)
  • Article:  Healthdirect:  10 Tips for Healthy Sleep (link)
  • Article:  Healthdirect:  How to get a good night’s sleep, according to science (link)
  • Article:  Healthdirect:  Healthy sleep and shift workers (link)
  • Article:  Healthdirect:  Your daylight saving cheat sheet (link)
  • Article: How to Sleep Better: 24 Tips from 24 People (link)
  • Article: How much sleep do we really need? (link)
  • Book: How to sleep well. The science of sleeping smarter, living better and being more productive. Dr Neil Stanley (link)
  • Book Fast asleep. How to get a really good night’s rest.  Dr Michael Mosley (link)
  • Book:  Sleep well every night. A new approach to getting a good night’s sleep. Glenn Harrold (link)
  • Book: The sleep coach. Dr Sarah Jane Arnold (link)
  • Book: This book will make you sleep. Dr Jessamy Hibberd and Jo Usmar (link)
  • Book: Why We Sleep. The New Science of Sleep and Dreams.  Matthew Walker (link)
  • Book:  The Sleep Book. How to Sleep Well Every Night. Guy Meadows (link)

 

Sleep Problems

  • Article:  CCI:  Insomnia (link)
  • Factsheet:  CCI:  What is insomnia?  (link)
  • Factsheet:  CCI:  Insomnia and your thinking (link)
  • Article:  CBTi:  Free and open access CBTi to help with insomnia (link)
  • Article:  NPC: Sleep Series – Part 2: Understanding Sleep Problem (link)
  • Article: Sleep Disorders Australia: Insomnia (link)
  • Article: Sleep Health Foundation: Fact sheets (link)
  • Article: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Fact Sheets (link)
  • Article:  Help Guide:  Sleep Disorders and Problems (link)
  • Article:  Healthdirect:  Insomnia (link)
  • Article:  Healthdirect:  Sleep apnoea (link)
  • Article:  Healthdirect:  Restless legs syndrome (link)
  • Article:  Healthdirect:  Jet Lag (link)

 

Free Worksheets

  • Workbook:  Patient Handout:  Insomnia patient handout (link)
  • Worksheet:  Sleep Australia:  Sleep Diary (link)
  • Worksheet:  CCI:  Sleep Diary (link)
  • Worksheet:  National Sleep Foundation:  Sleep Diary (link)
  • Worksheet:  Sleep Awareness Week:  Sleep Diary (link)
  • Worksheet:  AASM:  2 Week Sleep Diary (link)
  • Worksheet:  DAS:  Insomnia Management Kit (link)
  • Worksheet:  DAS:  Bedtime Restriction Therapy (link)
  • Worksheet:  Psychology Tools:  Sleep-Wake Disorders Worksheets (link)
  • Worksheet:  Psychology Tools:  Sleep Restriction Worksheets (link)
Images courtesy of Unsplash
Written by Aimee Carter