A bad night’s sleep is always likely to put you in a foul mood but studies show lack of rest can also leave you plagued with pain.
Now experts believe that changing bedtime habits could be the key to healing a long-standing problem.
A study has found that people who don’t get enough sleep are up to 66 per cent more likely to be plagued with pain.
Poor rest increases levels of proteins in the blood which spark inflammatory reactions in the body.
Academics from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim made their discovery after reviewing the health data of thousands of people who were monitored for more than a decade.
Dr Adam Al-Kashi, head of research and education at the charity Back Care, said: ‘Having a bad back is clearly a vicious cycle. The pain can keep people awake at night, which, in turn, gives them pain.
‘In those circumstances, people often can’t work or can develop depression; it can affect every part of a person’s life.
‘Improving sleep quality is perhaps one way to break that cycle.
‘Quite often, people will have a smartphone glued to their hand in bed or under their pillow so they can check their emails and texts 24/7.
‘It would be good practice to cut out that kind of stimulus in the last few hours before lights-out so that the mind is calm and relaxed.
‘Low levels of ambient light can also disrupt sleep so your bedroom should pretty much be in black-out.
‘Studies have shown that having a cold shower can improve sleep quality. These are all things that people can try.’
