Sleep & Psoriasis: The Importance of Planning for Sleep

It’s important that sufferers of psoriasis trial a range of methods in an attempt improve your condition. Apart from medications, creams and the rest of it, there are several lifestyle changes that have been known to reduce your psoriasis symptoms. One of these methods interestingly is sleep. But not just any sleep – a consistent, uninterrupted, deep eight hours of it! It may not seem an obvious one, but over time people have grown to understand and appreciate the power of a quality sleep and prioritise it to improve overall functioning and wellbeing.

There is one major difficulty for sleep and psoriasis sufferers and that is that psoriasis symptoms alone can make it challenging to sleep well and comfortably, in turn increasing inflammation in the body which antagonises the condition. The issue with lack of sleep is that is causes cytokines, signalling proteins that get issued by white blood cells, basically a warning in your body that something isn’t quite right. Cytokines are a major cause of psoriasis and other conditions that result it inflammation. I have a great deal of trouble sleeping personally, due to my psoriasis. I am discomforted, itchy, my skin is not smooth and springy, and so laying on sheets can cause even more irritation.

This is just one of the reasons why I recommend creating and improving upon a routine when it comes to psoriasis. I know we’re all busy and sometimes become lazy at sticking to daily habits, even when they serve us well. But finding an effective routine can greatly improve your condition and overall wellbeing. For myself personally, after dinner and evening rest I have a hot bath with magnesium before using the ocean soothe lotion all over my skin. I try to ensure that the area’s of my body affected by psoriasis are soft and smooth before heading to bed. I make a point of being constructive and kind in conversations with my family so that everyone in the household is going to bed with a clear and calm mind. It’s highly recommended to reduce blue light exposure before bedtime as well as reducing the light in your bedroom to minimise any sleep interruptions. Another perhaps obvious recommendation is the power of exercise. Exercise is my daily medicine without the chemicals, and does wonders for your physical and mental health, as well as contributing to quality sleep.

Some small but honourable mentions is to reduce your alcohol intake. While you may believe alcohol helps you sleep better, your body is full of unnecessary sugars, and you are not getting the honest rest that you need. Its aways a great idea to keep some water by your bedside if needed but also keeping in mind that too much liquid can cause middle of the night trips to the bathroom. A battle not won by me yet but sleeping without animals on your bed to reduce any potential interruptions. Real sleep comes from being at peace with yourself, letting the world get calm and quiet, and decompressing from the day behind you.

Healthy habits create healthy people and quality sleep is a key component to your good routine. A lot of this information you may very well know already but you are my community and it’s important that we check in with each other. And I want you to try and get some sleep, look after yourself and try to redeem some sensibility in your day to ensure a consistent, quality sleep. I’m still working at it.

Interested in hearing more on this topic? Head to my Podcast "I have Psoriasis" on Spotify.

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