Insomniacs ‘ likely to feel more pain’

Sensitivity linked to time it takes to nod off

IF YOU have trouble nodding off at night you are probably also mor e sensitive to pain, a study reveals.

It seems insomniacs are less able to tolerate pain for long periods compared to those people who have no problems sleeping.

Sensitivity is linked to how long it takes a person to fall asleep, not their length of sleep, the International Association for the Study of Pain reports.

Norwegian researchers asked more than 10,000 adults to undergo a standard test of pain sensitivity, by keeping their hands submerged in cold water for as long as possible.

Compared with people who don’t get insomnia, rates of lower pain tolerance were 52 per cent higher in people suffering insomnia more than once a week – causing them to take their hand out of the water earlier.

For those suffering from it once a month, the rate was 24 per cent.

Only 32 per cent of participants were able to keep their hand in the cold water throughout the 106-second test.

Dr Børge Sivertsen, of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in Bergen said: ‘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.’

Subjects were asked about various types of sleep impairment, including insomnia, total sleep time, and time taken to fall asleep. The study also looked at other factors affecting sleep impairment and pain perception – including chronic pain and psychological distress.

The results suggest that psychological factors may contribute to the relationship between sleep problems and pain, although more research is needed to explore the role of neurotransmitters which may affect both pain and sleep.

Neurotransmitters are the brain chemicals that communicate i nformation throughout our brain and body. The study also shows the need to improve sleep among patients with chronic pain.

Dr Sivertsen called for earlier interventions to target patients who are affected by both problems.

It is estimated a third of people in Britain suffer episodes of insomnia, which is more common in women and more likely to occur as we get older.

Eight hours sleep a night is the ideal for many people.

Regularly getting a poor night’s sleep puts you at risk of obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

For example, people who sleep less than seven hours a day are 30 per cent more l i kely to be obese than those who get nine hours.

Sufferers are advised to steer clear of caffeine and heavy meals later in the day and at night as part of what doctors call ‘good sleep hygiene’.

Even simply taking a warm bath or listening to relaxing music can help insomnia patients drift into a restful slumber, experts say.

NHS guidelines advise that people with insomnia should see their GP if crippling daytime fatigue starts to affect their mood and create relationship problems.

‘More likely as we get older’