Arthritis is an inflammatory condition of the joints that can affect one or more joints. Symptoms of arthritis often develop over time, but they can also appear suddenly.
Joint pain can have a big impact on your life, even affecting the quality of your sleep at night. You may feel your joints hurt more at night than during the day, or you may have trouble finding a comfortable sleeping position.
What is a joint and how does it work?
A joint is where two or more bones meet, such as in the fingers, knees and shoulders. The joint holds the bones in place and allows them to move freely within limits.
Most joints in our body are surrounded by a strong joint capsule. The joint capsule is filled with a thick fluid that lubricates the joint. These capsules hold our bones in place. They do this with the help of ligaments. They are like very strong rubber bands.
The ends of bones in a joint are lined with cartilage. This is a smooth but tough layer of tissue that allows the bones to slide over each other as you move.
If we want to move a bone, the brain sends a signal to the muscle, which then pulls on the tendon, which attaches to the bone. Therefore, muscles play an important role in supporting the joint.
Why do your Joints hurt more at night?
You may feel more pain in your joints at night. People with arthritis or joint problems tend to have more trouble sleeping because the affected joints keep them awake or wake them up during the night.
The most common reason why pain may be worse at night is because the body releases less cortisol when you sleep. Cortisol is an anti-inflammatory hormone that the body naturally produces. Lower levels often lead to increased pain and inflammation. Additionally, when you lie down, inflammatory chemicals build up in the fluid that cushions your joints, causing them to stiffen during the night.
It’s also possible that your perception of pain is higher at night because you have nothing to distract your mind. During the day, you’re often busy working, reading, watching TV, or doing other activities. But when you’re trying to sleep and have nothing else to focus on, it can be hard to ignore the pain.
What’s the best way to sleep better with arthritis?
Here are three ways to sleep better with joint pain:
1. Exercise and stretch to reduce stress on your joints
Make sure you stay active throughout the day. It may seem like the last thing you want to do when you’re in pain, but short bouts of exercise can reduce pain, burn energy, and help you sleep better at night.
You can also try stretching before bed to relieve the stiffness that builds up in your joints during the day. Hamstring and calf stretches, lower back stretches, and neck stretches are all great ways to relieve stress on your joints.
2. Heat, Ice, and Joint Pain Medication
Experiment with ice and heat. Arthritis-affected joints tend to respond better to ice, while sore muscles tend to respond better to heat. But everyone is different, and you may find that one option is more effective than the other when it comes to your joint pain.
If possible, you can also take an anti-inflammatory medication before bed. Make sure you give it enough time to take effect before you want to sleep. Most people take it an hour or two before they are ready to go to bed.
3. Practice these sleeping positions for better sleep
Think about how you sleep at night. Do you sleep on your back? Do you sleep on your side with your knees touching? Depending on your position, you may be putting extra pressure on your arthritic joints.
Always try to avoid sleeping on your stomach, no matter which joint is causing pain. This position puts too much pressure on your shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles.
Here are some sleeping positions for each pain position:
Sleeping Positions for Ankle Pain
Sleeping on your back is the best position for ankle pain. Place a pillow that is longer than the length of your foot, ankle, and calf to ensure that your painful joint is supported. If you sleep on your side, do not sleep on the side with the arthritic ankle. In this position, you should also place a thin pillow between your ankles for support and to prevent them from rubbing against each other at night.
Sleeping Positions for Knee and Hip Pain
The best sleeping position for knee or hip pain is to lie on your back with a pillow under your knees. You can also try sleeping with a neck pillow or rolled-up towel under your neck for better spinal alignment.
If you sleep on your side, make sure you sleep on the side that does not affect your affected joint. Place a thin, firm pillow between your knees to cushion the joint and prevent any additional pressure.
Sleeping Positions for Shoulder Pain
If you have shoulder pain, the best sleeping position is on your back with a thin pillow under your arthritic shoulder. Side sleepers should sleep on the side that does not affect your affected joint. In both positions, place an extra thin pillow under your shoulders to cushion and reduce stress on the joint during the night.
