Fed up with broken sleep

Opalnoire
Opalnoire Member Posts: 2
edited 28. Nov 2023, 14:07 in Living with arthritis

I have had osteo-arthritis for practically all my adult life and have usually dealt with what I term 'crisis' phases pretty well but this latest one is starting to seriously get to me. If I can get a straight five hours sleep I function pretty well but at the moment I'm lucky if I get two hours and that's usually in my recliner chair. I'm getting really fed up of sleeping for two hours, then having to get up and find something to do at stupid o' clock, going back to bed for another sleep and then two hours later ...


Any tips, tricks anyone has got for help with this will be extremely gratefully received.

Comments

  • anneb82
    anneb82 Member Posts: 317

    Hello @Opalnoire

    Welcome to the online community and thank you for joining us. I hope that you will continue to find this a safe space where you can keep us updated on how you are getting on. Its a great place to make new friends and pick up hints and tips.

    So you have had osteoarthritis for the majority of your adult life but are finding this particular 'crisis area' as you call it, very difficult to cope with at the moment. Your sleep is really suffering with it and you are wondering if anyone has any hints and tips that could help get you through this particularly difficult time.

    It can be really very difficult to deal with flare ups or crisis periods during the day, let alone at night when you are desperately trying to sleep. It sounds horrendous for you but you have made the first step by reaching out and asking for help so well done to you.

    I'm sure the other members of the community will have lots of tips and hints that will be worth giving a go, but in the mean time I have included a couple of links below on information found on our main versus arthritis website. I hope that you find them helpful.


    Please do keep us updated on how you are getting on and do please feel free to join in on any discussions that take your interest.

    Take care

    Anne (Moderator)

  • Cimca
    Cimca Member Posts: 33

    No tips just sympathy! I am in a similar situation. I don't know why this winter is proving so much more painful. I used to be able to take my meds and sleep at least 6 hours waking with minimal pain. This year I'm awake after a few hours. I tend to get up, struggle downstairs to make a hot drink and go back to bed with a book. I find this does help me to get back to sleep. This isn't ideal as my body isn't getting the rest it needs so I wake up in pain.

    Anyone else with any tips?

  • wazz42
    wazz42 Member Posts: 233

    Hi @Opalnoire and @Cimca

    You are so right, I am too. You prompted me to take a look around and I found this https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/how-sleep-better

    There is a free publication which I haven't downloaded yet but from looking at the article there are some ideas to try. I like the sleep diary and then not agonising over it because it's there for you to read later, then there's checking out my bedroom - it's my favourite room for chilling out, maybe some lavender under my pillow will help.

    I realise talking to you now I haven't been using my muscle relaxation either so that will help.

    Hope it helps you too

    xx