Introduction:

I’ve been having a lot of bad days lately, between multiple dislocations, the shock that follows, nerve pain, chronic fatigue, and just the general all round anxiety and depression that goes hand in hand with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and Fibromyalgia it’s definitely been a struggle keeping my head above water.

This year me and my partner Mark, who specialises in Chronic Pain as a Fitness and Nutrition coach, have been working hard on getting me on a schedule that actually manages to balance my workaholism, pain management, rehab, and weightloss in a way that doesn’t leave me totally crapped out.

One of the best parts of my new schedule, in my opinion, is my evening routine, which has managed to seriously increase the amount of sleep i’m getting as well as the quality. Everyday still isn’t perfect of course, but i’m finding that waking up is alot less of a challenge than it used to be, so i thought i’d share my routine, and the products that make it so amazing, with you!

PART ONE- TAKING A SHOWER OR AN EPSOM SALT BATH

Some days, as most of us with chronic pain know, you just don’t have the strength to stand, so in place of a shower i substitute a bath. I try to keep my baths under the half an hour mark because any longer and i turn into a noodle and also enter shock. Also, as someone with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, if i’ve recently suffered a dislocation, long baths can cause the joints to slip out of place once more, so that’s something i try to avoid. I have two main products i use for my shower/bath, and they both work magic in getting some of the tension out of my muscles and in getting me relaxed enough so i’m ready to wind down. Here are my tried and tested products for both showers and baths to help you start winding down for the night!

RADOX SHOWER GELS

EPSOM SALTS

PART TWO: PAIN KILLING GEL, CBD TOPICALS AND WARMING LOTION

I feel like though all the parts of my evening routine help with my chronic pain, this section is by far the most important. After getting out of the bath or shower, i check my joints over for dislocations, and do a body scan to see if i have any problem areas. Then, i will apply ibuprofen gel to any areas i think would need it.

Once this has absorbed and dried, i will then apply a thin layer of Sanctuary’s calming CBD oil to my neck and shoulders. The CBD solution is new to me and i only started using it a few weeks ago, but of all the CBD products i’ve tried, this one not only smells the best, but is also the most effective for helping me to calm down in preparation for sleep.

Once this has soaked in, the final part of this nightly ritual is to apply some Sanctuary Warming Lotion. Now, i will warn you, when you put this stuff on, it REALLY does what it says, so use it sparingly to begin with until you know what you can handle. Using this on tense areas, you literally feel yourself start sinking into the mattress. Both the Sanctuary products also smell incredibly calming, and have become personal favourites of mine that i find myself using everynight.

IBUPROFEN GEL, OR (IF YOU WANT TO STAY CLEAR OF DRUGS), A HOMEOPATHIC SUBSTITUTE

SANCTUARY WELLNESS RANGE (My Absolute Favourite BTW!)

PART 3- THE PERFECT BEDDING

Anyone who knows me knows i am EXTREMELY particular about my bedding. After all, as someone with chronic pain, it’s where i spend a hell of a lot of my time, so i have absolutely no qualms in spending money on getting the right sheets, pillows, and also pillow mist because i love using this to add yet another little touch which helps me drift off. During the winter, i am always trying to keep super warm, because if i spend the night cold, i end up feeling like the Tin Man (someone oil me please…) During the summer, i have egyptian cotton sheets, though i have heard amazing things about the hypoallergenic bamboo kind which have started to become popular. I think this is something that i might need to look into next summer. Anyway, Here are some of my favourite sheets, as well as the two kinds of Pillow mist that i absolutely LOVE!

SHEETS AND BEDDING

PILLOW MIST

PART FOUR- SNUGGLE IN WITH A GOOD BOOK AND DRIFT AWAY…

My favourite time of day is when i’m finally settled in bed with my latest read. There are so many amazing books i could recommend here, but i’m going to do something a bit cheeky and recommend my latest release Indigo Dusk. I’m recommending this not only because i wrote it, but because the main character Kairi suffers with chronic pain just like me, and i love how her story encourages warriors with chronic pain to see their own strength from a new perspective. Plus, there’s hot guys and dragons… so that’s always a win!

INDIGO DUSK CHRONIC PAIN FANTASY NOVEL — Indigo Dusk

Discover a world of Dragons, Angels, Fae, Unicorns and fantasy romance with Kairi Freemont, chronic pain warrior!

BUY NOW

Conclusion:

To conclude, there are literally HUNDREDS of products out there to be used in the fight against chronic pain, and even something that makes the fight even the slightedt bit easier is worth it in my opinion. I have tried, and LOVED each one of the products listed, and hope that if you do decide to try any of them, that they help you get a better night’s sleep just as they have for me.

Anyway, on to more authory, blogger magic!

Keep fighting Spoonies!

Kristy Nicolle!

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