Nice to meet you, friend! My name is Megan Sachs. I’m a full-time physical therapist at Axes Physical Therapy in Wentzville. Not only that, but I’m also a new mom to a 7 month old – who spends a fair amount of her time causing me to lose sleep. 🙂 Sleep disturbances have so many effects in normal, every day life… but what about when you’re recovering from an injury, a surgery, or persistent, chronic pain? Why might proper sleep an important consideration in physical therapy?
Getting adequate amounts of sleep consistently each night (7-9 hours) is important because it has been shown to promote many health benefits. Some of these benefits include: improved mood, improved cardiac health, improved mental function, immune function and tissue repair, stress relief, maintaining a healthy weight, and athletic performance. In physical therapy, patients may be recovering from surgery, acute orthopedic injuries, or chronic conditions causing pain and/or impaired function. Not only may these conditions contribute to sleep disturbances, but also chronic sleep insufficiency may contribute to decreased pain modulation and increased healing time.
While getting enough sleep each night sounds easy enough, many people report disrupted sleep or difficulty falling asleep.
Key tips for improved sleep quality include:
- Reduce your screen time. Remove electronics (phone, TV, laptop, etc) from your bedroom.
- Make sure your room is dark, quiet, and a comfortable temperature.
- Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol immediately before you fall asleep.
- Be active during the day. Exercise can help contribute to improved sleep quality at night.
- Be consistent. Falling asleep at a similar time each night can help your body set its internal clock.
Additionally, if you have an injury or condition that is contributing to impaired sleep quality, make sure to let your therapist know! A physical therapist can asses your overall sleep health and provide a screening for risk of sleep disorders. If your physical therapist suspects that you might be at increased risk for sleep disorder, we will facilitate a referral to for further assessment. Because, well, it’s the whole reason we’re here. Helping you is what we do.
Request a free screening at your nearest Axes to discuss your pain points and goals with an expert Physical Therapist! Axes Physical Therapy can see you as soon as today for a Free Injury Screening. Schedule today!
