Chronic Pain

Factors contributing to pain and pain perception

Sitting
Sitting too long is one of the worst culprits. We often don’t notice until we try to get up and feel all those aches and pains. Ideally the longest anyone should be sitting is one hour.

Moving
Moving and stretching our body encourages our body’s natural pain killers. Not to mention it’s vital to maintaining joint function. Take the stairs when you can. Take your cat or dog for a walk. Swim. Try yoga (yin yoga is nice and slow). Our personal favorites are yin yoga and Pilates.

Sleep
While sleep could be a whole series in itself, trying to maintain some basic sleep hygiene can help. Lights dim an hour before bed, going to bed at the same time, and reserving the bedroom for sleep are all ways that can improve sleep.

Stress
Stress management can help us sleep better. Stress impacts so many areas of our lives. Stress can affect our ability to concentrate, our mood, our productivity, our immune system, our gut health, and even affect our pain perception.