REST study

Sleep and pain are strongly linked and improvements in sleep have been shown to have a positive impact on reducing pain severity. Lower pain levels before surgery may also support better recovery and lower pain levels after surgery. To help people manage and reduce their pain while they are waiting for knee replacement, we have developed a new intervention to improve sleep quality.

This intervention involves an assessment with a trained healthcare professional. The assessment is aimed at helping the healthcare professional understand patients’ sleep problems. The healthcare professional then provides a personalised sleep plan and offers patients the most appropriate sleep treatment for their individual situation (cognitive behaviour therapy for insomnia, relaxation or mindfulness). Patients follow their sleep plan at home while they are waiting for their knee replacement. The healthcare professional follows up after 4 and 12 weeks to review progress.