Chronic Pain and Sleep: Why Pain Keeps You Awake (and What Helps)

The Sleep Matters TeamBlog

Chronic Pain and Sleep

Today we explore answers to questions like “why does pain keep me awake?” and “can poor sleep make pain worse?” Indeed, pain and sleep are closely linked.

Chronic pain (also known as persistent pain) is typically defined as pain that persists beyond the usual healing time, often longer than 3 months. Today, it affects more than 3.5 million people in Australia, or approximately 1 in 5 adults. Chronic pain significantly impairs daily functioning, the ability to work, social relationships, and overall quality of life (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2020). In addition, many people with chronic pain also experience sleep problems which results in them being at higher risk of developing insomnia, or other mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression.

Better Sleep for Young people: Evidence-Based Tips for Parents

Melissa ReeBlog, child sleep, sleep tips, sleep tips, teen sleep

Hard to sleep alone

As a parent or caregiver, making sure your teen gets quality sleep is crucial. In today’s fast-paced world, many young people struggle to develop healthy sleep habits. That’s why we’re excited to share valuable insights from a UWA research team (including our very own Dr. Melissa Ree) on evidence-based strategies to promote better sleep in young people.

Exploring sleep wearables: Enhancing Benefits and Navigating Risks

ElsBlog, sleep tips

Sleep wearables

In the fast-evolving landscape of sleep health, wearable devices have emerged as tools offering insights into our nightly rest. From sleek smartwatches, rings on our fingers, to discreet sensors nestled near our beds, these devices provide a glimpse into metrics like sleep-wake patterns, nocturnal movements, and even biostatistics such as heart rate and blood oxygen levels. While there are some …

Answers to 5 of your most common questions about sleep

Melissa ReeBlog, sleep facts, sleep tips, sleep tips, teen sleep

Sleep health is important. We understand that everyone needs at least reasonable sleep to function happily and healthily. Yet sleep itself can be somewhat mysterious and misunderstood. The Sleep Matters team have advanced training in the management of sleep difficulties and we wanted to clarify some sleep facts and bust some common myths. So here are the answers to 5 …

Is it time to get help for your trouble sleeping?

Melissa ReeBlog, insomnia, insomnia treatment, sleep facts

                                                                                                               Pri Mithal, BSc. (Hons), MPsych (Clin)                                                                                                Clinical Psychologist Registrar “Sleep is the golden chain that ties health and our bodies together.” — Thomas Dekker Ahh…sleep…zzzzz. Some of us love it, and others dread it. Here we debunk a few sleep myths, consider what healthy sleep is and when to seek help for trouble sleeping. So, what exactly is sleep …

Evening exercise and sleep: should we be changing our advice?

Melissa ReeBlog, insomnia, insomnia treatment, sleep tips, sleep tips

Many of us are interested in improving our health and wellbeing. Sleep is a great way to do this was we know that sleep is the third pillar of health alongside physical activity and nutrition. A very common piece of advice for improving sleep is to avoid moderate-vigorous exercise before bedtime. Many official ‘Sleep Hygiene’ Guidelines suggest no exercise after …

Winding Down for Sleep

Melissa ReeBlog, insomnia, insomnia treatment, sleep tips, sleep tips

Many people who come to Sleep Matters for help with their sleep use expressions such as “I can’t switch off” to describe having a busy mind that interferes with sleep. Many people mistakenly believe that switching off or shutting the mind down is necessary for sleep. It’s important to remember, however, that the human brain doesn’t have an off switch, …

Tips for sleeping well when you’re away from home

Melissa ReeBlog, insomnia, insomnia treatment, sleep tips, sleep tips

Jakub Dammer, Clinical Psychologist (registrar) Australians love to travel during the holidays and the thought of seeing new places and being away from home can be exciting. Many of us are able to travel now that COVID restrictions are lifting. However, for some, travel can prompt concerns about trying to get to sleep in an unfamiliar environment. If you’ve ever …