Sleep problems are linked to lower pain tolerance in a new large study

People with insomnia and other sleep problems have increased sensitivity to pain, according to research published in Pain.
Over 10,400 adults were asked to keep their hand submerged in a cold water bath for 106 seconds. Sleep issues were recorded, such as insomnia, total sleep time and sleep latency (time to falling asleep). Other factors were scrutinised too including chronic pain and psychological distress (such as depression and anxiety).
• Overall, 32% of participants were able to keep their hand in the cold water throughout the test but people with insomnia were more likely to take their hand out early.
• Pain sensitivity increased with the frequency and severity of insomnia. Compared with people with no insomnia, rates of reduced pain tolerance were 52% higher for those with insomnia more than once weekly and 24% for those with insomnia once a month.
• Pain sensitivity was linked to sleep latency, although not to total sleep time.
• People who had problems with both insomnia and chronic pain were more than twice as likely to have reduced tolerance to pain.
“While there is clearly a strong relationship between pain and sleep, such that insomnia increases both the likelihood and severity of clinical pain, it is not clear exactly why this is the case” Dr Børge Sivertsen, lead author, comments.
The study is believed to be the first to link insomnia and impaired sleep to reduced pain tolerance in a large, general population sample. The results suggest that psychological factors may contribute to the relationship between sleep problems and pain, but they do not fully explain it. More research is needed to explore the role of neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, that may affect both pain and sleep.
But it’s clear that efforts are needed to improve sleep in people with chronic pain and vice versa. Early intervention in people who are affected by both problems is recommended.

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Image credit: Sohel Parvez Haque