Sleep and pain

Abstract

Pain and sleeplessness are two of the commonest reasons for primary care appointments. The prevalence of each problem alone is high, and to add to the complexity, pain and insomnia frequently co-occur, with pain interrupting sleep and pain being further aggravated following a poor night’s sleep. Sleep and pain management are increasingly recognized as important to public health. In particular, insomnia and chronic pain are long-term conditions that actively contribute to morbidity, disability, economic burden to society, and suffering to the individual and immediate family. This chapter examines the interrelationship between the two at the population level. Specifically, evidence from population-based studies regarding the co-occurrence and temporal link of pain and sleep is reviewed, with moderators and mediators of the relationship highlighted. Possible directions for future research and treatment development are also outlined.

Sleep problems in pain patients entering tertiary pain care: the role of pain-related anxiety, medication use, self-reported diseases, and sleep disorders

“…Several factors may initiate the process, which is then advanced by reciprocal effects. 51 It seems likely that with reciprocal relationships between many factors, there is a risk of self-reinforcing cycles, which may be involved in the development or maintenance of problems. Figure 2 depicts one possible “vicious” cycle, involving pain, anxiety, and sleep problems.…”