How I Sleep Better With Arthritis

My best days go full circle, with a natural flow from activity, rest, more activity, relaxation, and then sleep. I begin and end the day with a quiet spiritual practice. The specific details don't matter much, but easing into and out of my day does. And the commitment to this quiet time and reflection helps keep me grounded.

There are plenty of helpful alternatives. To get similar results, consider reading aloud or candles for relaxation or meditation. Maybe start out reading poetry or other literature quietly to yourself and see how it goes. Then try reading each paragraph or chunk of text quieter than the last.

If candles are a good idea in your space, watch a small one burn all the way down. Birthday candles are great for this exercise! Or light several candles, burn for a few minutes, and then extinguish them one at a time, pausing between each one.

Hemp oil right after dinner

I usually don't say much about my treatments, because it's hard to say what will work for a specific person. Hemp oil has consistently provided me with better sleep, for over a year. I mean food-grade hemp oil, not medical marijuana or another supplement. The good news is that food-grade oil is subject to regulations and purity standards that supplements are not. The bad news is that it doesn't taste amazing. A strong breath mint right before drinking followed by mouthwash manages the taste.

What does hemp oil do?

I can't say for sure how it works, only that it helps my body feel more relaxed and less painful. This makes it easier for me to fall asleep and stay asleep longer. And yes, my doctor knows all about it.

Habits matter

The all-encompassing and duplicitous nature of arthritis can easily convince us that nothing matters. While it’s true that lifestyle can’t reverse our disease, it can help things go better.

I’m very careful with sugar and caffeine. This is a place where less is usually more.

I try to keep my bedroom a quiet work-free zone.

Bedtime has never been my favorite, but keeping as close to the same time as possible helps me, even if other people are having misery-I mean fun-arguing on the internet.

Don’t poke the bear!

What are the chances that the newest smart house is a minimalist quiet space? Maybe with limited wifi and white noise suited for 1,000 of life’s irritations? Our days are filled with constant stimulation from the moment we wake up. Our devices and much of the content we consume is designed to elicit reactions in the form of clicks, likes, dislikes, shares, ruminations, scrolling, and comments. But is your life meant to be a comment section?

Don’t ever stop asking what you want

This current state of reactivity feels inevitable because stimulation comes from all directions, but we have more choices than we imagine.

Ask yourself, what's in your physical and mental space?

How does it make you feel?

Is this what you want?

How could this change?