People with chronic pain often have difficulty sleeping due to pain. This is commonly a result of a sensitised nervous system where the bodies “pain amplifier” is turned up too high. A sensitised nervous system does not mean your pain “is all in your head”. Your injury and pain is real, but the nervous system is a factor that needs understanding and treatment. A good night’s sleep is also very important for restoring your physical and mental health which in turn leads to a better response to the Advance Healthcare Online Pain Management program.

The following resources are useful to read, listen to and engage with early on in your pain management program. Thinking about how this information might apply to your sleep situation and discussing this with your Advance practitioner will greatly assist in your recovery.

  1. Understanding the different contributing factors to your pain problem is the first step as explained in this info sheet and also an interactive online learning module. If you really want an in depth discussion on a sensitive nervous system check out this fascinating article from The Guardian

  2. Sleep diary - one way of problem solving how to improve your sleep is to get a detailed night by night description of what you are doing before, during and after sleep time. Print this sheet, fill it out and discuss with your Advance practitioner

  3. Sleep hygiene - the key to improving your sleep posture is experimenting with different “sleep hygiene” strategies to “reprogram” the sensitised nervous system. This sheet explains how

  4. Mindfulness and sleep - mindfulness is a simple method of becoming more “present” and in the process letting go of thoughts, feelings and emotions that may be a part of your sleep problem. This sheet outlines some simple mindfulness exercises plus explores Smiling Minds as an app that has a range of exercises specifically designed to help with sleep

  5. Depending on the reasons for your sleep issues, some of the info sheets on mood and thoughts may be helpful

If you require this information in a different language, please contact your Advance practitioner.