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Welcome to the PainSupport Newsletter
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Editor: Jan Sadler of PainSupport
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No.193 April 2011
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A Good Night's Sleep
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by Jan Sadler
of PainSupport
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www.painsupport.co.uk
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© Jan Sadler 2011
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Does your pain wake you at night? Do thoughts run round and
round in your head as you lie there? Don't despair, there's plenty you
can do by using some of my special 'Go to sleep' ideas. Then, rather than
face the day fretting and frazzled, you can begin your day feeling rested
and refreshed.
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I'm sure we all know about the basics of good sleep, such as
having a soft yet supportive mattress and pillow, a cool, quiet and dark
room, etc. But what we all really want to know is what to do in those
small wee hours when there are no distractions and our pain and our
thoughts dominate our minds. Below you'll find some ideas that I've found
helpful myself and use regularly. The main thing is to be prepared so
that you have some techniques and tricks up your pyjama sleeve!
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Pick and choose, you don't have to use all the ideas every
night but be sure to include the 'Daily Review' as most sleep disturbances
comes from thinking about events from the day.
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Tips for A Good
Night's Sleep
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1. First of all each evening, well before you even get to
bed, it's really important to do a 'Daily Review'. Use the 'Daily Review'
as a dividing line between your day and your evening. For the Review make
a note of any unfinished tasks and worries you may have. Then all you
need to do is write down the next step to be taken, just the very next
step. Even if you aren't sure what the next step could be, the next step
could be just to think about the problem the next day. Then, if you wake at
night stop yourself from worrying by saying "I know what I'm going to do about that, I'll deal with it
tomorrow".
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2. If you use your 'Daily Review' method and find you are
still worrying, write the worry on a piece of paper and shut the paper in
a drawer in another room. Tell yourself, "I can deal with that
tomorrow, NOW is for relaxing" or tell yourself "It's safe to
stop thinking about that".
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3. If you find you're still awake, lie quietly and tell
yourself that relaxation and resting calmly in bed will help sleep to
come and your body to restore itself. Think yourself through a
meditation, relaxation or visualisation exercise or use a sleep CD to
help you drift off to sleep.
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4. A simple relaxation method
you can use at night is to bring your attention gently to your breathing.
Take a slow deep breath in through your nose and then exhale very slowly. As you
breathe out, allow your body sink down into the bed and feel the tension
floating away, just let go… Repeat
as often as necessary.
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5. Another relaxation method is to think about each part
of your body in turn and tell it to 'Go to sleep!' It's best to start
with your feet, so take your mind to your left foot and say to yourself,
'Left foot, go to sleep', then allow a few moments to really feel your
foot relax and let go of tension. Then take your thoughts to your right
foot, 'Right foot, go to sleep'… and so on all around your body, allowing
each part to relax in turn. If you do get as far as your head, which is
very unlikely as you're sure to be fast asleep by then, just start all
over again with your feet.
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6. Take Charge! Don't let the
mental 'chatterbox' take over. Tell yourself, "Everything will seem
better tomorrow – it always does!"
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Reassure yourself,
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"There's nothing to think
about, nothing to do. It's all OK. Everything's all right. There's no
need for waking, go to sleep now."
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7. A few other ways
to distract your mind and drop off to sleep are:
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a) Count your out-breaths, perhaps counting down from 20
to 0.
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b) Imagine standing by a waterfall watching the water
falling down and down (proven to work by scientific research at Oxford University).
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c) Spell words backwards. You can use any words that come to
mind, it doesn't matter whether it's a name or a random word. This is a
good distraction and very effective if you are feeling overwhelmed with
anxious thoughts and feel panicky. Once you are calmer, you can use some
of the relaxation methods to go to sleep.
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It's best to be prepared with a
few of these strategies and techniques before you go to bed. Try some of
these ideas, make them your own and you will soon be on your way to a
better night's sleep!
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TIP
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See PainSupport’s page on sleep:
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www.painsupport.co.uk/pages/sleep.asp
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Buy Jan Sadler's book and CD A Good Night's Sleep:
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http://www.painsupport.co.uk/products/books.asp#Sleep
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or buy just the CD:
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http://www.painsupport.co.uk/products/cdsdownloads.asp#Sleep
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© Jan Sadler of PainSupport, www.painsupport.co.uk
2011
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Stress Reducing Tip
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Start the day
with peace
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Get the day off to a good start by sipping your early
morning drink by a window, open if possible, or going for a short walk. It's
revitalizing to breathe in the fresh air – and, surprisingly, the morning
daylight helps you to sleep better. Check out how that works here…
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http://health.howstuffworks.com
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It worked for me!
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UK
PainSupport member, Michele, says,
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"I was given a
watercolour many years ago that has helped me lower my pain and anxiety.
It is of a point of land on the water as the sun is setting. The sky is
various shades of dark blues... On the point of land, is a small tent
that glows amber from the camp fire outside it. Trees show through the
shadows. I picture myself lying in that tent smelling the pine
trees, all cosy in a down filled sleeping bag, watching the skies change.
That's when I start to mentally relax each toe… working up to my entire
body so that muscles become totally lax... perhaps, you too, could find
yourself "a place to go" from a painting to a postcard. Use all
your senses, away from your everyday world. It takes a bit of time and
imagination but it's worth the effort! Michele"
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Please tell us!!
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If you
try any product or idea that helps you in some way please let us know. Even
if it only reduces symptoms a little, it may help others too.
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ItWorkedForMe@PainSupport.co.uk
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‘A Good Night's Sleep' Book & CD or separate
CD by Jan Sadler
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The well-proven methods in the
book combine to reduce stress and anxiety through the day and bring
tranquil sleep at night. Listen to the CD that accompanies the book and
you are virtually guaranteed a peaceful night's sleep!
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Phil (England)
says,
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“The sleep
package is superb, it has restored me to excellent sleep quality after
years of dreadful insomnia. I can recommend it to anyone in pain or
'just' with insomnia, like me. It's life-changing. Thanks so much, Jan.”
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You can buy the book which includes a CD from the PainSupport
and the PerfectRelaxation websites. The CD is also available to be bought
separately.
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http://www.painsupport.co.uk/products/cdsdownloads.asp#Sleep
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http://www.painsupport.co.uk/products/books.asp#Sleep
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www.perfectrelaxation.com
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Herbal relief for insomnia
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‘Valerina’ is a herbal remedy for peaceful sleep. It
contains valerian, hops and lemon balm. Available from Boots the Chemist,
Holland
& Barrett or by mail order from:
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http://www.healthstore.uk.com
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Another natural product is Seditol which contains a blend
of an extract from Magnolia officinalis and an extract from Ziziphus
spinosa, a traditional plant used as a sedative in Traditional Chinese
medicine for more than 2000 years. This combination is said to have
resulted in a safe and effective natural ingredient for sleeplessness.
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www.victoriahealth.com
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Please check with your doctor
before using, as some herbs and supplements may interact with medication
you may be taking. It's also preferable to see a qualified medical herbalist
for the best and safest results with herbal medication.
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Website recommends…
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Lots of
practical and useful advice on pain the BBC website:
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www.bbc.co.uk
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A site for carers but also all you need to know about
benefits.
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www.carersuk.org
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PainSupport Newsletter and Tool Kit
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You are welcome to forward this newsletter to your
friends. Click the link below if you haven't already signed up for PainSupport's
monthly email newsletter and the FREE downloadable PainSupport Tool Kit
booklet.
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(NB image is not of the actual
PainSupport ToolKit!)
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You need your Tool Kit for when
pain flares up. You will then have some great ideas at hand for getting
your pain under control.
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Sign me up for
the Newsletter and the link to the Tool Kit!
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signmeup@painsupport.co.uk
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I already
receive the Newsletter but would like to download the Tool Kit.
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Send me the Tool Kit please!
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NB Keep your Pain
Logs in your Tool Kit – you can find a link to the Logs near the end of
the newsletter.
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The
PainSupport Contact Club and Discussion Forum
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An Invitation…
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If you’re not already a member,
why not join our free, highly successful Confidential Contact Club and
Discussion Forum? Ease the pain by sharing life's ups and downs with those
who understand – and perhaps find some answers too. Here is message recently
received from LG, a member of the PainSupport Contact Club,
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"My friend has been my rock over the
last year and having her to talk to has given me so much support. We talk
regularly on the phone and have even visited each other and we are always
there for each other if the going gets a bit rough or we just want a
laugh and a chat. I would just like to thank you for introducing us to
each other."
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Join or Login the Contact Club for new friends...
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http://www.painsupport.co.uk/connect/contactclub.asp
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STOP PRESS!
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Some of the
latest forum topics – join in and have your say!
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Disability Living Allowance problems
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Fibromyalgia and pain
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Insomnia
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Pins and needles and numbness in leg
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Versatis/Lidocaine patches
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Antidepressants for pain relief
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No-one understands
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Fentanyl patches
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Applying for benefits
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Hospital waiting times
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ATOS medical
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and, of course, our favourite…
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Laughter is the best medicine
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Join or Login the Discussion Forum…
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http://www.painsupport.co.uk/connect/dfviewtopics.asp
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Words of wisdom
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Happiness is something you decide on. It's a decision to
make every morning when you wake up. You have a choice; you can lie
there recounting the difficulty you have with the parts of your body
that no longer work for you, or get out of bed and be thankful for
the ones that do.
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- - Author Unknown
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Keep Smiling…
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A guy walks into work, and both of his ears are bandaged
up.
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The boss says, "What happened to your ears?"
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He says, "Yesterday I was ironing a shirt when the
phone rang and, damn it, I accidentally answered the iron."
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The boss says, "Well, that explains one ear, but what
happened to your other ear?"
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He says, "Well, come on, I had to call the
doctor!"
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Editor’s Note
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I hope you find the above ideas
useful. For more information and ideas for pain relief, please go to the
PainSupport and/or Perfect Relaxation websites, addresses below.
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All best wishes – and keep
smiling!
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Jan at PainSupport
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www.painsupport.co.uk
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www.perfectrelaxation.com
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Your FREE Pain Logs!
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Print as many copies as you need. They will help you keep
track of your pain, find out what affects it, and can be use for medical
consultations to show your doctor how your pain affects you.
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a) The log below will be a record of your actual pain
level.
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www.painsupport.co.uk/enewsletter/painlevelslog.pdf
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b) The log below will help you to discover how your
activities and feelings may affect your pain.
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www.painsupport.co.uk/enewsletter/painfeelingsandactivitylog.pdf
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You may print the above
Newsletter for your own personal and private use but if you wish to use
all or part of it for any other reason, please ask first. Copyright belongs to Jan Sadler.
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Many of the tips in this
Newsletter are not from medical sources, so please use your own
discretion or, preferably, check it out with your doctor, before trying
any of the suggestions as some herbs and supplements may interact with
any medication you may be taking. Please also have any undiagnosed pain
checked out by a doctor.
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Products, sites and
organisations mentioned in the Newsletter are merely being brought to
your attention. Check everything yourself before purchasing or acting on
any of the information. PainSupport is not responsible for the content of
any other website mentioned. PainSupport NEVER passes on your email
address to anyone else without your prior permission.
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We hope you enjoyed reading
this newsletter. However, if you'd rather not receive future PainSupport
newsletters, please let us know. unsubscribe@painsupport.co.uk
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Copyright © Jan Sadler 2011
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