Why does my injury hurt more when I sleep poorly?
Nighttime rest is the body's most powerful tool for repair. During the deep sleep phases, the body releases regenerative hormones such as... growth hormone, responsible for rebuilding damaged tissues.
Conversely, if you sleep poorly or suffer from insomnia, your body interprets this lack of rest as a sign of danger or survival, causing the nervous system to become more sensitive and excessively increasing levels of cortisol (stress hormone) and an environment of chronic low-grade inflammation, which keeps the pain of your injury constant.
How can I improve my sleep and recover faster from an injury?
To prevent the body from collapsing and to recover faster, it is essential to regulate the circadian rhythms, Our body's internal biological clock. But how do we achieve this?
- Maintain a regular schedule: Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Ideally, go to bed early (no later than 11:30) and try to maintain a sleep schedule of between 7 and 8 hours.
- Screen hygiene: Put away your phone, tablet, or television at least an hour before going to bed. The blue light from these devices inhibits the production of... melatonin (sleep hormone).
- Adequate lighting: As the sun sets, it is ideal to use dim, warm-colored lights (orange or red) to send the physiological signal to the body that it is time to sleep.
Does red light really have benefits for sleep?
Recently, statements made by footballer Marcos Llorente on these topics have gone viral.
Science supports that red light (between 620 and 750nm) is like being in the dark to your brain, meaning it does not alter the nervous system or slow down the production of melatonin.
However, you should not confuse it with infrared light (700-1000nm), which penetrates deeply into tissues, reaching the intracellular level and enhancing the functioning of mitochondria, thus helping to repair damaged tissues.
What foods should I prioritize when recovering from an injury?
When you get injured, local inflammation is necessary to repair the tissue. The problem arises when your body is already suffering from inflammation. chronic low-grade inflammation, This causes inflammation to spiral out of control and increase excessively. This low-grade inflammation, in turn, has been directly linked to problems such as knee tendinopathies or chondromalacia patellae. Therefore, our diet should help prevent this inflammation from getting out of control.
There are certain foods to avoid (pro-inflammatory ones).
- Ultra-processed foods, flours refined (pastries) and with excess sugar (soft drinks)
- Refined vegetable oils: contain a high omega-6 and they unbalance the Omega3-Omega6 ratio.
- Gluten, cow's milk, legumes and the coffeeThese are foods that can irritate the gut microbiota of some people and keep low-grade inflammation elevated.
Foods to enhance.
- Blue fish (salmon, sardines) and walnutsHigh in Omega-3
- Blueberries, broccoli, vegetables and turmeric: powerful antioxidants
- Resistant starchRice or tubers (potato, sweet potato) cooked and cooled in the refrigerator for 24 hours. This process creates a superfood for your gut microbiota.
Is it necessary to sunbathe if I'm in a recovery process?
Exposure to sunlight allows the body to manufacture Vitamin D, It is a key component for the immune system and inflammation reduction. In fact, its deficiency is associated with slower tendon recovery and poorer soft tissue recovery.
But how can we do it without harming ourselves? Ideally, we should sunbathe for about 15-20 minutes a day, avoiding the midday hours (prioritizing the beginning or end of the day). These few minutes will boost the recovery of your circadian rhythm, helping you rest more and recover better.
If you're going to be exposed to the sun for a longer period, using sunscreen is essential. essential To avoid burns. Although some influencers claim that cream isn't necessary because of "solar calluses," scientific evidence confirms that each burn significantly increases the risk of developing skin cancer.
Is rest good for recovering from an injury?
Rest is never beneficial. The body needs appropriate movement, and tissue requires mechanical stimulation to regenerate properly. Furthermore, staying active pumps blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the affected area, accelerating healing.
Obviously, the key is to adapt the physical workload to each case. For example, in the case of an injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), Although there are many movements we shouldn't do, it's highly recommended to continue training the upper body and even the strength of the uninjured leg (mirror effect).
In Evolution We advocate for movement, and therefore our team of physiotherapists will offer you the tools you need to be able to move and work with exercises from day one.
How do water and hydration influence muscle recovery?
Your tissues, especially your muscles and fascia (the tissue that surrounds the muscles), are composed of more than 70% water. Dehydrated muscles lose elasticity, become stiffer, and are much more prone to tears. If you're interested in the topic of muscle tears, feel free to read our blog: What is a muscle tear? Why does it occur?
Being well hydrated not only improves tissue elasticity, but also facilitates the bloodstream's ability to transport necessary nutrients to the injury and efficiently eliminate metabolic waste products caused by inflammation.
Does stress make an injury take longer to heal?
Yes. When you live with chronic stress or anxiety, the body activates survival mode and releases cortisol and other hormones in an uncontrolled manner. When this state persists for a long time, it leads to an increase in low-grade inflammation and therefore an increase in the workload of the immune system.
If the immune system is always working, it prevents it from dedicating all its resources to repairing the damaged area, causing the tissue to recover with poorer quality and less speed.
On the contrary, maintaining healthy social relationships is a true natural pain reliever. Distracting yourself with friends activates the parasympathetic nervous system (in charge of calm) and releases endorphins and oxytocin. These hormones reduce the perception of pain and curb low-grade inflammation.
If you're interested in this topic, don't hesitate to read this article: One in three muscle injuries in footballers is caused by stress..
Physiotherapy in Alcalá de Henares for rehabilitation.
At Clínica Evolution Fisioterapia Avanzada we have professionals who are not only specialized in the treatment of athletes, but also know how to enhance recovery from a holistic health perspective.
We know that every person is different, that's why our treatments are fully personalized and adapted to your goals.
Book your appointment with us and take your recovery to the next level.
