Sleeping Better With Psoriatic Arthritis: Tips for a Healthy Nighttime Routine

What are sleep hygiene tips for psoriatic arthritis?

1. Stick to a regular sleep schedule

Try to go to bed and wake up around the same time every day — even on weekends. When possible, avoid skimping on sleep during the week and trying to “catch up” on the weekends.

2. Avoid technology before bed

Televisions, laptops, tablets, and smartphones emit blue light. This type of light may suppress melatonin levels temporarily. Melatonin is a hormone that helps make you feel sleepy. In general, darkness helps signal to your body that it’s time to sleep, and your melatonin levels increase.

Scrolling your phone at night may reduce melatonin levels, which may result in you not feeling tired once you put the phone down and try to sleep.

3. Dim the lights

Your home lighting can also affect melatonin levels. As bedtime approaches, try switching to dimmer lighting. This may help boost melatonin levels so that you’re sleepier when it’s actually time for bed.

If you are unable to create a dark environment, try sleeping with an eye mask. Blackout curtains may also help shield your room from bright lights outdoors (such as a streetlight right outside your window). 

4. Listen to calming music

Listening to music may help you relax, slow down your thoughts, and feel comforted. Slower types of music may also regulate and slow your breathing. These are all important factors into preparing your body for sleep.

What’s “calming” to you may be subjective. Some options include soft pop, slow jazz, or meditative music. Nature sounds are also a popular choice. You can find playlists dedicated to music for sleep on platforms such as Spotify and YouTube.

5. Avoid loud noises

If you share a home with others, try to agree to “quiet hours.” During this time, everyone in the house should do their best to minimize noise. That means keeping the TV volume down, using headphones, and avoiding loud conversations.

If loud noises are coming from outside the house (such as if you live by a high-traffic road), consider sleeping with earplugs. 

6. Avoid alcohol

It’s a myth that alcohol promotes sleep. First, alcohol can cause a drowsy feeling, which may help you fall asleep. However, alcohol (especially in large amounts) tends to disrupt your quality of sleep later in the night. This may cause you to feel more tired in the morning.

7. Avoid rich foods and big meals before bedtime

When you sleep, your digestion naturally slows down. If you eat right before bed, this slowed digestion may make you feel full and uncomfortable. This may not be helpful when you’re trying to relax for sleep. Any large meal could do this, but foods that are harder to digest (like fatty foods) may have a more severe effect.

If you’re prone to acid reflux, eating large meals or spicy food right before lying down also increases the risk of nighttime heartburn. This can also disrupt your sleep. It may help to avoid eating at least three hours before bedtime.

What if I’m still struggling with sleep despite making these changes?

Talk to your healthcare provider if you continue to struggle with sleep at night. This may have many negative effects on your health and quality of life. Your doctor may be able to suggest new techniques to help you fall asleep (and stay asleep). 

If you have an underlying condition that is affecting your sleep, your doctor may also be able to get you started on the appropriate treatment. This may include sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea, as well as mental health disorders that may indirectly affect sleep.