When Sleep Hurts: Unlocking the Sleep-Pain Cycle

Описание: Sleep disturbance is common in persistent pain—often ~¾ of patients report it. In this conversation, Tim and Bart explore how disrupted sleep can amplify sensitivity (think cytokines, circadian shifts, cortical filtering) and how improving sleep can unlock meaningful gains in function, mood, and pain tolerance. Moving beyond “don’t drink coffee after 6,” they map practical assessment steps, phenotype-specific strategies (onset vs maintenance insomnia; neuropathic night pain), and simple behavioural experiments patients can actually stick with. You’ll leave with a grab-and-go plan: what to screen, what to try first, how to blend CBT-I principles with physio goals, and when to refer to sleep/medical colleagues.

You’ll hear about

Why poor sleep can lower nociceptive thresholds and fuel pro-inflammatory signalling

Why “sleep hygiene” helps some—but often isn’t enough

How to tailor strategies for awake-onset vs wake-after-sleep-onset insomnia

What to do when neuropathic night pain wakes patients (movement/positioning/oxygenation)

Tracking progress with a weekly lens (not night-to-night)

Key quote
“If sleep is the bottleneck, treat the sleep first—you’ll often see the rest follow.”

#SleepAndPain #PainScience #CBTI #ChronicPain #Physiotherapy #Neuroinflammation #CircadianRhythm #NeuropathicPain #PainEducation #ClinicalTips