Sleep

Sleep is essential for maintenance of good health. Chronic poor sleep is associated with increased all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, long term pain, depression and anxiety and is associated with reduced cognition.

Relationship between pain and sleep

• Sleep and pain are bi-directional, poor sleep affects pain and pain can disrupt sleep. Poor sleep is a greater predictor of pain than pain is of poor sleep³⁴
• Between 67% and 88% of individuals with chronic pain experience sleep disruption and insomnia, and at least 50% of people with insomnia report chronic pain
• There is a dose dependent association between poor sleep and pain³⁵

Potential strategies: 

• Ask the individual about their sleep quality and sleep routine 
• Consider CBT for insomnia as an effective management strategy:³⁶
  • CBT Insomnia (CBT-i): The Sleepio App is an app based on CBT-i. It is available free of charge to individuals in Scotland. Quick Guide for Accessing Sleepio - National Wellbeing Hub
• Consider providing sleep hygiene advice and reassure individuals that changing sleep habits can take time so they should persist with the strategies: 
  • Five tips for better sleep
  • How to sleep well with pain