my convoluted theory about endorphins

[linda]

Has anyone ever noticed that they have more energy and less pain the day after a poor night's sleep? I had a thought. Maybe it's because it accomplishes the same thing as low dose naltrexone, which when taken at bedtime inhibits the body from making endorphins, so that the next day the body feels like it has to make up for the loss and makes a bunch of endorphins, and we therefore feel less pain. Low dose naltrexone is taken at night because our bodies make most of our endorphins while we sleep, right?-so I wonder, if we don't sleep does our body try to make up for the endorphins that weren't made during the night by making more the next day?

Unfortunately, we do a lot more while sleeping than make endorphins, our bodies recharge in other ways as well, so going more than one night without sleep would cancel out any effects from extra endorphins. Hmm, just a thought. I've heard that some people tape acupuncture needles onto their body so that they will stay in overnight. Since evidence has shown that acupuncture causes the body to produce endorphins, and endorphins are mostly made while we sleep, having the needles in while our bodies are already making endorphins might cause extra endorphins to be made!

So my theory is that if we lose sleep, we have decreased endorphins levels which our body tries to make up for the next day. This gives us a boost for a day.
However, over the course of days, weeks, or months, lack of sleep and the decreased levels of endorphins made at night catches up with us, we can't compensate enough for the lack of endorphins and we end up feeling pain because of this.
BUT, if we insert acupuncture needles overnight, even if we don't sleep well, maybe the needles will cause enough endorphins to be made that it will compensate for the amt lost from not sleeping.

Geez, does this make sense to anyone? Or am I talking in circles? I have my own acupuncture needles and I sometimes do acupuncture diy since my pain specialist moved out of state. I think I'll make a guinea pig out of myself and try this for a few weeks, see what happens. Btw, you can buy acupuncture needles online, but it is illegal to perform acupuncture on anyone other than yourself unless you're certified. Make sure you do not reuse them!!!

This whole poor sleep/pain/fatigue thing is a vicious cycle, it's impossible to know which came first. I suspect other factors in the fatigue thing besides lack of sleep, like bacteria using up nutrients our cells need to make energy, but that's a whole other topic. Any thoughts from my peanut gallery?

[Trudi]

[user=11]linda[/user] wrote:

So my theory is that if we lose sleep, we have decreased endorphins levels which our body tries to make up for the next day.

You may be on to something here–

Trudi

Lyme/RA; AP 4/2008 off and on to 3/2010; past use of quinolones may be the cause of my current problems, (including wheelchair use); all supplements (which can aggravate the condition) were discontinued on 10/14/2012. Am now treating for the homozygous MTHFR 1298 mutation. Off of all pain meds since Spring '14 (was on them for years--doctor is amazed--me too). Back on pain med 1/2017. Reinfected? Frozen shoulder?

[casey]

Linda, i am so glad i am not the only one that feels like i am talking in circles or running in them. Would you or anyone else please read this and possibly explain it to me in laymans terms so i can stop spinning! 
What confuses me below is the  whole 2nd paragraph where it states , the term endorphin implies a pharmacological activity ( analogous to the activity of the corticosteroid category of biochemicals) as opposed to the ….. etc etc. ( It is the word corticosteroid that has me a bit baffled here)

Endorphin  

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
Endorphins are endogenous opioid polypeptide compounds. They are produced by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus in vertebrates during exercise,[1][/suP] excitement, pain, consumption of spicy food and orgasm,[2][/suP][3][/suP] and they resemble the opiates in their abilities to produce analgesia and a feeling of well-being. Endorphins work as “natural pain relievers.”

The term “endorphin” implies a pharmacological activity (analogous to the activity of the corticosteroid category of biochemicals) as opposed to a specific chemical formulation. It consists of two parts: endo- and -orphin; these are short forms of the words endogenous and morphine, intended to mean “a morphine-like substance originating from within the body.”[4][/suP]

The term endorphin rush has been adopted in popular speech to refer to feelings of exhilaration brought on by pain, danger, or other forms of stress,[1][/suP] supposedly due to the influence of endorphins. When a nerve impulse reaches the spinal cord, endorphins are released which prevent nerve cells from releasing more pain signals. Immediately after injury, endorphins allow animals to feel a sense of power and control over themselves that allows them to persist with activity for an extended time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endorphin

Thanks,

Casey

[casey]

Linda, sleep, lack of sleep, endorphins, corticosteroids….. now if one adds LDN  to this equation!!!

 I think i am the biggest nut in all the galleries!

[Elijuh]

Oh I definitely think you are on to something there, Linda! Case in point. Last night I took my LDN but only got about 6.5 hours and had a great mostly pain free day today (mind you, my def of a pain free day is different than most). Tuesday night went to bed way early (8:30 pm) after I took my LDN slept all the way until 6:15 am. Had a lousy and painful day all day Wednesday. Anecdotal of course but I have noticed this many times. But there is a law of diminishing returns at work here. If I get less than say, 6 hours, my day is bad and my exhaustion levels are high.
Blessings!
eli

[linda]

Elijuh,

I know what you mean. I feel like I live in a catch-22 situation. If I sleep well, I wake up very stiff and my PA symptoms are worse, but I'm more rested. If I don't sleep well for more than a day, my FM symptoms are worse and I'm fatigued. But either way, I've got pain.

Thanks for the article on endorphins, Casey. I didn't know that it was short for endo and morphine. As for the pharmocological effects, I think it means that they act like drugs in our bodies? Not sure on that one.

Since I can't do LDN right now b/c I'm on tramadol, I think I'll go ahead and try the acupuncture needles all night. But what do you think would happen if we did both, LDN and acupuncture all night (can we call this AAN for short?) No, it wouldn't work, they would cancel each other out. So day one of AAN therapy for me, I'll keep a journal. I think it's probably going to be a bust or someone would have figured this out by now, but we'll see.

If anyone is interested in trying this, it's perfectly safe, I can tell you where I get my needles and the brand; I make sure to buy the same kind my pain specialist used. As long as the needles are thrown away in a sharps container after one use, and you always account for every single needle, there is no risk beyond infection, and these needles are sterile. Accounting for every needle is very important if you have children or pets. I can also tell you how to insert the needles, but the sites will depend on where your pain is located. They do not hurt, the needles are so fine that they bend, which is why they can be taped to the body. Normally they are left in for 20-30 min,and my doctor used about 20-25 needles, but I don't think that many needles are necessary if they are left in overnight. I'll let you know. Acupuncture charts can be found online, as well as instructions. OK, that's everything you never wanted to know about acupuncture.

I wanted to correct my statement that there is no danger beyond infection. If you are hemophilic or on blood thinners, this is not for you. And it is illegal to practice acupuncture on anyone without certification. I don't know how this applies to DIY, but I wanted to make sure that I made that very clear, so…no sticking needles in other people!

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