News
Give it a rest
We think of physical and emotional pain as separate entities, but growing research is refuting this.
A recent survey found that arguing with a partner worsens pain in people with chronic pain conditions. Another found that, at the start of the study, none of the 573 participants with knee osteoarthritis had symptoms of depression, but two years later, nearly 12% did!
Those most at risk were people who felt pain at night in bed, while putting on socks, or getting in and out of the car. It makes sense as these are life-limiting symptoms, and whatever hurts our bodies can also hurt our moods.
So, what can we do? Another piece of research has found that, when it comes to pain, sleep is key. When we are sleep deprived, our pain sensitivity is significantly exacerbated and, while, painkillers like ibuprofen didn’t block the sleep loss-induced pain hypersensitivity, believe it or not, caffeine did!
The lesson? If you’re struggling with pain, focus on improving your sleep habits, incorporating sleep-promoting tinctures, lavender sleep sprays and herbal remedies at night, coupled with a dose of daytime alertness-promoting caffeine to help break the pain cycle. Oh, and do your best not to row too much, either!