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Recent National Poll Finds Connection Between Sleep and Chronic Pain



Chronic and acute pain affect a person's ability to get sufficient good quality sleep. Conversely, the lack of sufficient good quality sleep contributes to the problems faced by those who are in pain--worsening pain, anxiety, depression, and the like.  You have to ask what came first--the chicken or the egg?  It seems like an endless cycle that's difficult to break.

A recent poll by the National Sleep Foundation entitled "Sleep In America" sheds some light on this puzzling phenomenon and offers some evidence that there is a solution to the problem. According to a press release about the study, 

The 2015 Sleep in America ™Poll finds that pain joins two related concerns--stress and poor health--as key correlates of shorter sleep durations and worse sleep quality. But there are paths to resolving the problem: The sleep gap narrows sharply among those who make sleep a priority. 

"Taking control of your sleep by being motivated, setting a routine bedtime and creating a supportive sleep environment are relevant even for those with pain," said David Cloud, CEO of the National Sleep Foundation.  "Sleep is a key marker of health, and good sleep habits are critical for improving quality of live of those living with chronic or acute pain."

Here are some interesting statistics that came out of the study---

  •  57% of the adult population in America reported experiencing problems with acute or chronic pain.
  • Only 36% of those who reported having chronic pain reported good or very good sleep quality.
  •  23% of those who reported chronic pain also reported higher stress levels, in comparison to 7 percent of those who reported no pain. 
  •  Those who reported acute or chronic pain were more apt to have sleep problems impact their daily life. For example, among those who reported having sleep difficulties in the past week, more than 40% of those with chronic pain said that the sleep difficulties they experienced affected their work.  Only 17% of those who did not report chronic pain stated the same about work.  
  •  Those with pain were also far more likely to state that sleep deprivation interferes with their mood, activities, relationships and ability to enjoy live in general.


You can read the press release and find a link to the study by clicking here.

I have written many posts about the positive impact of good quality sleep as natural pain control. You can click this link to read one about some tips from Natural Mama on getting a good night's sleep!

Sources:National Sleep Foundation; Pixabay; Everyday Pain Management Ideas

 Original Post: June 12, 2015






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