There is an irrefutable two-way (bi-directional) relationship between pain and sleep. Bad sleep makes 'bad pain', good sleep makes 'good pain'. Good sleep itself is a therapy for pain and yet we all know pain makes sleeping more difficult. Let’s dive into this powerful relationship, discover how it works and what we can all do about it, and why good sleep is important for managing pain.
 

How pain affects sleep

1. Discomfort: When you're in pain, it's harder to find a comfortable sleep position.
2. Disruptions: Pain causes inflammatory chemicals which can interfere with sleep hormones causing you to wake in the night. These disruptions prevent you from getting deep, restful sleep, which is crucial for repair.
 

Why sleep is important for treating pain

1. Healing: During deep sleep, your body heals, repairs and recovers by producing growth hormones to help you heal tissues and manage pain.

2. Pain threshold: Lack of sleep lowers your pain threshold and increases inflammation, meaning you feel pain more acutely. With sleep, your body can tolerate pain better.

3. Mood: Poor sleep can affect your mood, making you feel irritable or depressed, which can make pain feel worse. Good sleep helps you feel better, which can help you cope with pain more effectively.

4. Immune system: Sleep strengthens your immune system. A strong immune system can help your body fight off infections, illnesses and inflammation that can worsen pain.
 

The gut lining and inflammation

1. Barrier function: The gut lining contains many immune cells that act like a security fence by helping to detect and fight off harmful invaders (like bacteria and toxins) which can cause inflammation when entering the bloodstream.

2. Microbiome balance: The gut lining supports a diverse community of good bacteria, known as the microbiome. The microbiome helps keep inflammation in check by producing substances that calm the immune system.
 

The gut lining and sleep

1. Serotonin production: About 90% of the body's serotonin (a chemical that helps regulate mood and sleep) is produced in the gut. A healthy gut lining supports the production of serotonin, which can then be converted into melatonin, the sleep hormone.

2. Nutrient absorption: A healthy gut lining ensures that nutrients such as magnesium and tryptophan, which are important for sleep, are properly absorbed from our food. 

3. Inflammation and sleep disruption: If the gut lining is damaged due to medication use and causes inflammation, it can disrupt sleep. Inflammation can interfere with the production of sleep-regulating hormones and cause discomfort that further makes it hard to sleep

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Kirsten Taylor
Naturopathic Sleep Specialist, Managing Director, Founder
SleepDrops® International Ltd
09 418 0479 ext 1
support@sleepdrops.co.nz
sleepdrops.co.nz