Sleeping

Getting enough rest is one of the best things we can do for our bodies.  But it can be difficult to go to sleep and then stay to sleep.  Pain can keep you up or even certain medications.   So we need to make sure our bedrooms are the things dreams are made of.

I have learned that keeping to a sleep routine helps me feel more rested for the next day. I try to go to bed at the same time every night and wake at the same time every morning. I also learned that the bed is one of the most important parts to attaining a good night’s sleep. Our old bed was in bad shape. It was caved in and gave very little to no back support. I was not sleeping very well and waking up frequently at night in pain. So we decided to buy a new bed and after several months of researching we decided on a sleep number bed. Now I'm not going to recommend this as the best bet for everyone, this is just what worked for us. With a sleep number bed, I am able to adjust my side depending on how bad my pain is that day. This helps me get a better night’s sleep and be able to wake-up feeling more rested.  We also keep our bedroom slightly on the cool side and although we do have a TV in the bedroom it's rarely on. I am sleeping through the night most nights and although I still wake up with stiffness and pain, that’s just part of having RA, it’s less severe than it used to be.

I do other things to help me sleep. I try not to drink any sodas or caffeinated drinks after 4 PM. If it's getting close to my bedtime and I'm noticing that I'm not sleepy I will drink a cup of decaffeinated chamomile tea. I also try not to exercise right before bed. I have found that exercising actually stimulates my body and keeps me awake.

I also saw this great article in Arthritis Today about natural sleep remedies.  You can read it here.

So these are just some of things I do to help me get a good nights rest. What are some of things you do to head off to slumber land?