A night of poor sleep leaves you aching and tired, and the next day pain feels louder. That makes it harder to sleep the following night, and the cycle continues. The good news is that you can work on it from either side.

Sleep and pain affect each other

Research has found that poor sleep can make you more sensitive to pain, and pain can make it harder to sleep. Some studies suggest poor sleep may predict next-day pain more strongly than pain predicts that night’s sleep. That means improving your sleep may be one of the most useful things you can do for pain.

Small steps for sleep

A few habits can help:

• Waking up at the same time each day, even after a poor night.
• Getting daylight in the morning.
• Keeping your bed for sleep, and getting up if you can’t settle.
• Winding down with something calm before bed.

Small steps for pain

During the day, gentle movement and short breaks can help ease stiffness and may help you sleep better at night. Your goal videos are a good way to keep moving.

Noticing your patterns

Your VIDA pain check-in can help you see how your sleep and pain affect each other.

Something to try this week

Wake up at the same time each day this week, even if you’ve slept poorly.

What to take away

• Remember sleep and pain affect each other.
• Wake up at the same time each day.
• Get daylight in the morning.
• Keep moving gently during the day.

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