How to make a Sleep Plan
Create your own Sleep Plan for a good night’s sleep
It’s very common for people with persistent pain to have difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep. The really good news is that there are lots of ways to improve your sleep.
Thanks to recent research, we now know that sleeping well with pain is possible, with a different approach and maybe a few new skills.
There are five main areas where simple changes can make a huge difference:
1. Your daily routines
2. Your activity levels
3. Your food and drink choices
4. Your night-time routines
5. Helping mind and body to rest
Making the changes
Learn what you can do to make changes across all these five areas here.
Then, when you’ve decided on the changes you want to make, download and fill in our handy the Sleep Planner to help you put the changes into action.
TOP TIP: When building your Sleep Plan, remember to make sure it passes the ‘REST’ test – see below.
“There are five areas of your day-to-day life where simple changes can make a huge difference”
The REST Test
To make sure your Sleep Plan passes the the REST test, everything in it should be:
Realistic
Be realistic about what is possible so that you give yourself every chance of success. For example, rather than trying to learn three different relaxation techniques at once, just focus on one to start with and practice it for at least two weeks.
Enjoyable
The more enjoyable your goal is, the more likely you are to succeed. For example, if you decide to stop drinking caffeinated drinks at night, replace them with drinks you really like.
Specific
The more detailed your plan is, the more likely it is to happen. So, if you are going to do some physical activities, plan exactly what you are going to do and when.
Timed
Create routines that are good for your sleep by doing things at a time that’s right for you. Give things a try for a few weeks before adding in something new.