For people with chronic pain, getting enough exercise and sleep are an important part of managing pain levels. According to a new study, sleep quality also has an important role in also keeping them active.
Published in the journal PLOS ONE, the study shows that sleep is linked to physical activity for people with chronic pain, with sleep predicting how much physical activity will be performed the next day instead of a person’s mood when they wake up or how much pain they are in.
The study involved 119 patients with chronic pain who wore accelerometers to measure their physical activity as they went about their daily routine for a week. They also kept a sleep diary to report their sleep quality every morning.
While researchers found an link between high sleep quality and increased physical activity in the second half of the day (from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m.), they did not find a link between physical activity and the amount of sleep gotten each night.
The findings show that a person’s perception of how they slept strongly influences how much energy they’ll put into their physical activity. People who sleep well are more likely to exercise and for longer periods of time.
Sleep is a natural energy source that we all should take advantage of. If you are looking to start an exercise regimen, getting 7-9 hours of high quality sleep each night can help you stick to it! For less pain and bad moods, increase your relationship with sleep!
You definitely need to rest you body after a good workout. But I have also found if I overdo the exercising sometimes it disrupts my sleep. A moderate work out is best for me.
Well said Teresa! Working out too close to bedtime can keep you up longer than you’d like. Great job finding the right amount of exercise for yourself! It’s important to listen to your body, as your needs may not be the same as someone else.