Sleep and tiredness

Sleep is one of the most common problems for those with persistent pain, affecting 1 in 3 people. With chronic tiredness you can get irritable, while worrying about not sleeping just adds to the stresses of living with pain.

It is possible to get into better sleep patterns through a mix of balancing daily activities, relaxation techniques and learning to deal with negative thoughts.

Relaxation and gentle stretching before you go to bed can help improve the quantity and quality of sleep. Turning off the mobile phone to prevent calls and texts interrupting your rest, and generaly avoiding too much screen time is also a useful tip.

Have a look at the useful sleep guide on this page and experiment to find out what can help you to wake less during the night and get up feeling more refreshed.

Try the relaxation exercises suggested on this page or view a self-help guide to tackling sleeping problems.

To understand more about the patterns of pain, visit our pain cycle tool.