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The Impact of Pain on Sleep

Summary & Participants

Sleeping well can refresh your body and mind, but it's tough to do when you're in pain. Not only is the pain itself a problem, but sometimes pain medications can disturb sleep. Learn why pain worsens sleep problems and what you can do about it.

Medically Reviewed On: July 10, 2008

Webcast Transcript

ANNOUNCER: Whatever the reason for lost sleep, the lack of rest can even make the pain seem to feel worse in your waking hours.

ELLEN MILLER, MD: I think we can all agree that everybody feels worse when they don't sleep and every medical problem that they have is going to seem worse when they don't sleep. So the following day, when they're fatigued and they're recovering from lack of sleep, they also will feel worse in terms of any other medical condition, including their pain.

ANNOUNCER: So while sleep is important, pain may stand in its way. Pain medications can deal with the pain, but often the sleep problems persist. Luckily there are other ways to achieve a more restful night. One short-term solution may be the use of sleep aids.

JAMES O'BRIEN, MD: They generally come in two styles, the non-benzodiazepine medication and the benzodiazepine types medications Benzodiazepine medications work very, very well. The problem with them is that their half-lives can be very, very long and the side effect, hangover issue, is really in play. With the non-benzodiazepine medication, there's less likely to have any hangover effect. They are very short-acting medications; they're much cleaner medications

ANNOUNCER: Sometimes just changing bedtime behavior can help.

ELLEN MILLER, MD: What this is, is to get them to into a room that is as conducive for sleeping as possible. The right temperature, comfortable, dark room. They should use the bedroom just for sleeping; don't use it for all their other activities. Don't get into bed after dinner, turn on the television, bring all their work, sit there reading, doing what all of us do it in our bed and we're not supposed to.

Some of the other techniques that are useful for patients with sleep disorders are relaxation techniques and stress management.

ANNOUNCER: Although when you're in pain, you may feel like bed is the only place to be, experts urge that staying out of bed and awake may help you sleep better at night.

JAMES O'BRIEN, MD: Individuals who are in pain having sleep problems need to get the help that they need, because sleep is essential for the management of their pain, and if they're not able to solve it on their own, they need to talk to their doctor.

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