What You Need to Know About Sleep and Psoriasis

by Dr. J April 29, 2021

Psoriasis can make it difficult to sleep at night. The CDC states that 33% of people don’t get enough sleep, but 9-in-10 people with psoriasis get poor sleep. If steps aren’t taken to promote a better night’s sleep, it will lead to chronic sleep dysfunction, which can have a major impact on your day-to-day life.

In fact, one study on patients with psoriasis found that those that didn’t sleep well at night had a higher risk of:

Heart disease
Stroke

If psoriatic activity is allowed to increase, it will lead to greater sleep issues, according to researchers. Promoting a quality night’s sleep can help reduce the health risks of psoriasis.

Common Sleep-Related Issues of Psoriasis

Psoriasis sufferers will experience a wide range of symptoms, but the symptoms relating to sleep include:

Restless leg syndrome
Higher rate of snoring
Difficulty falling and staying asleep
Fatigue or feeling of tiredness during the day
Choking or difficulty breathing when sleeping

Itching may intensify when you sleep, too. Medication and using the right skincare products may help relieve some of these symptoms, making it easier to sleep.

4 Tips for Getting Some Sleep with Psoriasis

If you’re still having trouble sleeping with psoriasis, you can try these four tips:

1. Create a Sleep Schedule

Sticking to a sleep schedule can help you sleep better and time your medication properly. You should discuss your sleeping issues with your doctor so that they can prescribe medication that can provide lasting relief while you sleep.

Note: You should avoid exercise before bed because it will make it more difficult to fall asleep.

2. Exercise

Outdoor exercise can help promote sleep. A 2014 study found that exercise was able to improve sleep quality. If you’re struggling to sleep well at night, exercising for 30 minutes a day can help you sleep better at night.

Roughly 75% of people surveyed in one study stated that they exercised regularly and had fairly good to very good sleep quality.

3. Preparing the Room for Sleep

Preparation can go a long way in promoting a good night of sleep. You can prepare for a better night of sleep in many ways, including:

Reducing the room temperature to 65 to 68 degrees
Close the blinds or wear a sleeping mask
Close the door and eliminate sounds, or use a white noise machine

Before bed, you’ll also want to avoid any form of caffeine consumption after the early evening. Also, turn off any computer, television or smartphone an hour before bed to reduce the risk of blue light disrupting your sleep patterns.

4. Develop a Before-Bed Routine

A routine before bed can also help. You can help yourself relax before bed by:

Meditating to quiet the mind and relax before bed
Taking a warm bath to soothe the muscles and relax

Find something that relaxes you and relieves stress, and do it before bed. The more you relax, the easier it will be to fall and stay asleep at night.

Managing psoriasis requires you to focus on your sleep, too. If you can’t sleep well at night, speak to your doctor. A doctor may be able to help you better manage your symptoms and finally get to sleep at night.