Nocturnal Joint Pain And How To Relieve It
If you suffer from arthritis, you’ve probably had sleepless nights because of the pain. It is a common complaint and also a cause of insomnia. But why is this happening? And is there a way to effectively relieve the pain? First, we need to make something clear: often there is no cure for nocturnal joint pain.
According to the Arthritis Foundation (US) , there are effective treatments that relieve joint pain and also provide a better quality of life, but the pain is irreversible.
However, to increase your sense of well-being from day to day and above all to relieve joint pain at night, you can follow these steps:
Why is joint pain worse at night?
Daily activity
During the day you move around, you pick things up, you take the stairs, you are moving… All this activity makes the joints ‘warm’ and although you may experience some pain, at night the pain is when you at rest is much more present.
Adrenal Insufficiency
You’ve probably heard of adrenal insufficiency, also known as adrenal fatigue. This has to do with the adrenal glands and the nervous system, which in turn causes pain, fatigue, anxiety, insomnia, loss of appetite… This discomfort is also associated with the fact that the pain is more intense at night.
Arthritis is a type of chronic pain that particularly affects women. So we recommend that you look for natural treatments to relieve the pain.
stress
If most of your day is filled with tension, worry, anxiety, and stress that you can’t handle in a healthy way, this will increase your blood cortisol levels.
Nutrition
As you know, it has been found that certain components in the foods we eat every day not only cause inflammation, but also cause toxins to be stored in the body.
One of the causes of arthritis is inflammation caused by certain substances that enter the body and weaken the immune system.
Eating an unhealthy diet full of fat, sugar and processed foods will increase pain and inflammation, especially at the end of the day.
Sedentary Lifestyle and Immobility
If you spend all day on the couch or think it’s wise to keep the joint still all day, the pain will likely be excruciating at night.
The reason for this? If the joints do not move, they will become stiff. On the other hand, if you do certain simple stretches in the morning and in the evening, you will minimize the pain. It’s worth it!
Tips for Relieving Nighttime Joint Pain
Although arthritis can have many different causes, good nutrition is certainly one way to improve the quality of life. With a proper diet, you will be able to rebuild cartilage, nourish bones and prevent inflammation.
Simple remedies such as drinking ginger tea daily or choosing fruits and fresh foods over precooked meals are things you can easily put into practice.
Here are some of the best foods:
- salmon
- Trout
- Avocado
- Gelatin
- Flax
- Olive oil
- Roots
- peppers
- tomatoes
- artichokes
- lemons
- Grapefruit
- Pineapple
- Papaya
- strawberries
- Cranberries
- red grapes
- Cherries
- plums
- nuts
- hazelnuts
- Almonds
- Dark chocolate
- Ginger
- Cumin
- Garlic
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Spinach
- egg yolks
- brown rice
- Cereals fortified with vitamin D
Hot-cold therapy
An hour before going to bed, do the following:
- Take a bag of ice cubes.
- Fill a container with hot water (it should not be boiling) and add three sprigs of rosemary.
- Place the bag of ice cubes on the affected area for twenty seconds.
- Then submerge the joint in the warm water.
- Repeat these steps five times and watch the pain go away.
The best natural pain reliever
ginger tea
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
- 1 cup of water
- And finally: 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
It’s easy. Simply boil the water and then add the ginger and honey. Then let it boil for fifteen minutes, remove from the heat and finally let it cool.
When should I drink it?
Once during breakfast and then again at bedtime.
Stretching exercises before bed
- If you gently move the affected joints, both the cartilage and the joint itself will be less stiff and also less cramped.
- An effective way to relieve nighttime joint pain in the hands and fingers is by knitting. If you actually have problems with your knees, it helps to stretch the leg muscles. You can tie small weights around your ankles and lift each leg five times. You will then experience the relief when you go to bed.
In case of doubt or severe pain, however, always consult a doctor!
