Pain makes sleep harder, poor sleep makes pain worse, and both wear down your mood. How the cycle works after a crash, and where to break it.
November 6, 20262 min read
By Zainab Adesola, BSW, MA, CCC
Three things that move together
After a collision, pain, sleep and mood are closely linked. Pain makes it hard to get comfortable and stay asleep. Poor sleep lowers your tolerance for pain and makes stress harder to handle. Low mood and worry make pain feel bigger and sleep harder to find. Each one can pull the others down.
The good news is that the cycle works in both directions. Improving one often helps the others.
Signs the cycle has taken hold
- Pain is worse after bad nights
- You lie awake thinking about pain, bills, work or the crash
- You’ve stopped doing things you enjoy because of pain or tiredness
- You feel irritable, flat or tearful more often than before
- Worry about pain, or about making it worse, keeps you from moving
Where to break it
- Sleep. Keep regular sleep and wake times, wind down before bed, and tell your doctor about pain that keeps waking you. See a wind-down routine.
- Movement. Gentle, regular activity, guided by your physiotherapist or doctor, supports both healing and mood. Pacing helps: similar amounts on good days and bad days, rather than doing too much and paying for it later.
- Thoughts about pain. Worry and worst-case thinking about pain are common, and they can make it feel worse. Learning to notice and work with these thoughts is part of recovery. See catastrophizing.
- Mood. Small, doable activities that bring a sense of enjoyment or achievement, even short ones, help lift your mood.
- Connection. Staying in touch with people protects your mood, even on days you don’t feel like it.
How therapy helps
Psychological care is a recognized part of recovery from injury. Therapy can help with the sleep, mood and worry that come with pain, using approaches like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). It works alongside physical treatment, not instead of it.
In Alberta, collision-related mental health care can be covered through your auto insurer once a plan is approved. See therapy after a car accident.
This article is general information, not medical, legal or insurance advice. For advice about your situation, talk to your health care provider, your insurer or a lawyer.
Questions
Quick answers.
Does feeling low mean the pain is in my head?
No. Your pain is real. Mood and pain are connected through your nervous system, which is why treating both helps.
Can therapy reduce pain?
Therapy doesn’t replace medical or physical treatment, but it can reduce how much pain gets in the way of your life, and it often improves sleep and mood.
When should I talk to my doctor?
If pain, sleep or mood isn’t improving, or is getting worse, talk to your doctor. Get help right away if you feel hopeless or think about harming yourself: call or text 9-8-8.
Keep Reading
Related articles.
The first 12 weeks after a crash: what recovery can look likeRecovery after a collision is rarely a straight line. What the first three months often look like, physically and emotionally, and when to ask for more help.
Catastrophizing: how to stop jumping to the worst caseA late reply becomes a disaster, a headache becomes something serious. Catastrophizing is a common thinking trap. How to catch it and think it through.
A wind-down routine for an anxious mindYou can’t switch off a busy mind like a light, but you can dim it. A simple evening routine that helps anxious brains get ready for sleep.