Does pain ever wake you from a sound sleep?

[jayMck]

I've been an avid cyclist for close to 30 years. When I injured my back 20 years ago, cycling turned from a joy to torture. I spent years adjusting my bars and saddle, popping Advil before and after rides, stretching before, during and after. All to no avail. I rode with pain constantly.

When I read Dr Sarno, within a month my lower back pain on the bike was gone. TMS was real and I was convinced.

But here's my question: riding was a good trigger for TMS because I was sure that I had messed my back up pretty badly (installing a brick patio) and that cycling aggravated it. If only I rested, it would get better. But resting was torture! I needed to ride. So I think that set up a cycle (pun intended). Ride-pain-ride...
But lately with this pinched nerve I find myself waking up morning between 2 and 4 a.m. with a sharp pain in my neck and in my left shoulder. Last night I got out of bed, took a 15 minute hot shower and then popped 4 Advil (I know. I swore last night if it happened I wouldn't use medication. But I was pissed off.) Anyway, I got back in bed, practiced taking deep breaths, talking to my brain, meditating, running through all the reasons that I know it's TMS and not structural and within 10 minutes I was asleep and slept till 7:15.

So I feel bad that I took Advil. But I'm wondering if there are any reasons my subconscious would be waking me out of a sound sleep to address this when I already spend so much time on it during the day. Does my subconscious even hate dreaming about it? Cause I did have a dream a week ago that seemed to deal with my issues.

Jay

 

[Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)]

Jay, you may have sleep problems because, as you say, you spend a lot of time on TMS thinking during the day. It's best not to spend more than an hour on it each day, preferably early and not before bedtime. Try to enjoy your days and evenings and turn off the TV and computer at least an hour before bedtime.

I like a video on Youtube that relaxes my mind before bedtime:

"Guided Meditation for Detachment from Over-Thinking." Michael Sealey's soothing voice focuses on mindfulness of breathing in the present moment. It just about puts me to sleep. An overactive mind, and worry, keeps us awake. Pull the plug on it with this and other Youtube relaxation videos. They may do more for you than Advil, but if you really need the medication, go ahead and take it. Dr. Sarno says so.