Those with small children, look away now. Researchers have found that people who are able to get 10 hours sleep each night may enjoy reduced pain sensitivity and improved alertness.
For the American Academy of Sleep Medicine study, 18 participants who had undergone mild sleep deprivation were divided into two groups. The first group proceeded to have four nights’ sleep of their usual duration, and the second group extended their sleep time by an average of nearly two hours to 10 hours per night.
The resulting increase in alertness among the extended sleep group may come as no surprise, but the reduced pain sensitivity was an interesting effect. After enjoying extended sleep, study participants were able to keep their fingers on a heat source by an average 25 per cent longer than the shorter sleep group. This represented a greater tolerance of pain than that achieved by participants in a previous study who took 60 milligrams of the painkiller codeine.
Study lead author Timothy Roehrs said ‘Our results suggest the importance of adequate sleep in various chronic pain conditions or in preparation for elective surgical procedures. We were surprised by the magnitude of the reduction in pain sensitivity, when compared to the reduction produced by taking codeine.’
So, it appears as though those for whom blearily-eyed treading on Lego blocks is an early morning ritual are destined not to benefit from the pain reducing effects of a good night’s sleep.
Source: Sleep
