Help!! What do you do when pain intensifies before sleep?

[G.R.]

Hey, Guys,
Does anyone have any specific suggestions or recommendations to do when right before they go
to sleep the pain (sciatic) starts to intensify?

I have tried deep breathing one night. I breathed all good emotions in and breathed out all the
negative emotions like anger, unforgiveness, disappointment... That worked one night but
when I tried it last night it did not work. So, the I started journaling and that seemed to work
better and I finally fell asleep. The problem is it is so difficult when you have to work the next day.

I am not sure why the breathing would work one night and not the next. What do you think?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
G.R.

 

[Leslie]

Some of the doctors recommend doing your daily "work" just before bedtime to help with the sleeping. It helps to clear the conscious mind of all the thoughts that you know are swimming around in there and calms the subconscious down from it's "protection detail" all at the same time. I read today in Dr Brady's book where he also recommends "pain talk" right before bed. Talk (inside or out loud) to you subconscious, the pain location, or just yourself in general. Tell yourself sternly that the pain needs to stop, that you're not fooled and you're going to keep looking for the hidden emotions. He also suggested asking your subconscious to let you dream about the hidden emotions while you sleep.

I plan to try the dream suggestion myself tonight (just learned about that today). As for why it would work one night and not the next, I'm not an expert but I would think it would be that same subconscious trying to retain control. My expectation is that it would be similar to moving the pain around; just an effort by your subconscious to try and get you to stop thinking psychologically. My experience so far has been that nothing works every time for me so the more weapons in the arsenal the better. Maybe you could try changing your schedule a bit and moving your "regular" journaling time to just before bedtime. Possibly scheduling it to be there will allow you to get all the rest you need so you don't start off suffering a sleep deficit the following day.

 

[G.R.]

Leslie,
I will answer your e-mail more in depth because I am going out.
But I just wanted to let you know I did try ask my subconscious to let me dream about the hidden emotions.
That night I had a terrible night sleep and never really could define what my emotions were.
Maybe, you will have a different experience.
I will speak with you soon.
G.R.

 

[Leslie]

G.R.
Your rest may not have been peaceful that night but it sounds as though your subconscious heard you. I didn't even think about the repercussions such a request could have on the actual restfulness itself - definitely something to consider. Clearly this is not a request one would want to make of the subconscious if the following day required alert, optimum performance. Fortunately such is not the case for my day today. I did ask my subconscious to let me dream about the hidden emotions last night. I don't have any recollection of any dreams at all from last night. Perhaps I was not clear and forceful enough with my instruction to my subconscious. So long as tomorrow doesn't end up having any performance level requirements, I shall try again tonight.
Leslie

 

[G.R.]

Leslie,
What have you been doing that works for you?
G.R.

 

[Leslie]

G.R.
What seems to work best for me these days is to make my best effort to do my "work" as early as possible in my day. I find if I do my thinking and journaling in the morning it gives my head all day to "process" the results from whatever I dusted off. When I was journaling before bed I found it very difficult to fall asleep for quite some time because my head was spinning and once I did fall asleep it was anything but restful. My brain does not "shut off" easily so if I give it fuel too close to bedtime I undermine my progress. The "pain talk" also seems to be quite helpful to me at bedtime. I very sternly inform my subconscious that I'm not stupid and don't appreciate being treated like I am, I know where the pain is coming from. I demand the muscles be relaxed and given the nutrients they need for optimum function and then I work really hard at getting my imagination to visualize it happening.

A lot of what is helping me most so far came from Pain Free For Life.
Leslie

 

[Stella]

Around 9:00 I lay in bed and start my belly breathing. I count at east 6 in and 6 out. Usuallly I do 9 in and 9 out because I have such a high pulse rate. I perform the breathing whike watching tv or reading. During commercials I close my eyes to focus just on the breathing. I probably do this for an hour before going to sleep. I am so relaxed by 10:00. The pain has declined. I say to myself " My body is completely relaxed. My shoulders are completely relaxed. My neck is competely relaxed."

Sleep has slowly gotten better... but still ups and downs but not as significant. Sandy

 

[Lori]

It's best to set ourselves up in a relaxing environment at least an hour before bedtime (I know, easier said than done sometimes). Studies are showing that watching tv is not conducive to a good night's sleep, as we take our last thoughts/things seen into our dream state.

I do some reading or writing if I need to clear my head about something. I also do some spiritual reading before bed too, which i find very relaxing, and usually I sleep very well.

If you do journaling before bed, I would suggest making sure you end your writing with something positive. Very important!

You will find what works for you!

 

[G.R.]

Thanks, I am ever so appreciated for your responses. Leslie, I am going to do my journaling in the morning because sometimes I am too tired to journal at night.
I do have Pain Free for Life and that is really helping me, too. I am off tomorrow so I am going to read how Dr. Brady discusses to journal.
I like the visualization he suggests also. Another book that really helped me was Fred Amir's book Rapid Recovery from Back and Neck Pain.

Sandy, I am also going to breathe like you suggest an hour before I go to bed. I usually deep breathe when I go to bed but it makes more sense to do it
much earlier.

Please, let me know any other suggestions that are working for you both.
G.R.

 

[G.R.]

What do you if you fall asleep and then the pain intensifies while your sleeping and wakes you up?
Any suggestions would greatly help.
G.R.

 

[Stella]

I have problems with terrible foot and leg cramps waking me up. Before I go to sleep I think about my positive affirmations. I am sleeping through the night. My leg cramps are gone. I am pain free. Over time the leg cramps have gotten much better. Your pain will too.
Sandy

 

[G.R.]

Sandy,
Was there a time you were not sleeping through the night? How did you handle it and what did you do if you
did not sleep? It motivates me hearing success stories.
Enjoy the weekend,
G.R.

 

[Stella]

I have had sleeping problems for over 30 years. I have had tension and knots in my neck and shoulders all that time too. How can anybody sleep with that and they never go away!

I still struggle with sleeping but slowly see improvement. The meditation has helped my neck, shoulders and jaw to relax. I can get to sleep but usually wake up between 1-3:00. Sometimes I can fall back to sleep and when desperate take half a sleeping pill which probably just acts as a placebo. Sleep disturbances is a TMS symptom.

I am still journaling working on a variety of issues so I know that plays into it as well. I have been sleeping poorly for 30 years. I am seeing modest improvement. I know it will continue. I just have to keep doing everything recommended. I am optimistic. You will see improvement too.
Sandy