It’s hard to overstate the importance of good sleep to our overall health. We live in a culture that prizes hard work, which is positive. But sometimes we overemphasize working to the point of stress injuries, burnout, and general feelings of being unwell. Often the patients we see in our office for EMG/NCS testing have developed nerve pain due to overworking certain parts of the body. Carpal tunnel syndrome, for example, usually develops when people engage in repetitive motions with the hands and wrists. People who do a lot of computer work are especially at risk. However, taking a break and allowing your hands and wrists to rest can decreases early symptoms. Having a stretching routine can also help a lot.

Other stress injuries, like chronic back pain and neck pain can also be prevented by taking regular breaks from work and allowing the muscles to relax and stretch. We also see people who believe they have to “push through the pain”. They have ignored their pain for months or even years. This often leads to even worse injuries, requiring more invasive treatment to fix the problems.

Go to Bed! Stress Injuries and Degenerative Brain Diseases Can Be Avoided with Sleep

If avoiding invasive tests and even surgery aren’t enough to convince you to take breaks from work and prioritize sleep, how about this. Researchers at the University of Tsukuba in Japan recently published a study showing that mice in REM sleep (rapid eye movement) have increased blood flow to their brains. This means that their bodies are able to get rid of more waste products in the brain during this deep sleep. Excess amounts of waste products in the brain are associated with Alzheimer’s disease, as well as other degenerative brain conditions. So the next time you plan to stay up, hunched over your computer, to finish a project, remember this. Your brain needs a chance to take out the trash! You’ll probably do a better job after a good night’s sleep anyway.

We strongly urge anyone experiencing chronic pain to talk to their doctor about getting tested for nerve damage. Contact us if you need nerve testing.