Sleep deprivation and pain sensitivity: Harvard study reveals

Sleep deprivation and pain sensitivity: Harvard study reveals

Scientists from Harvard, together with researchers from the USA, China and South Korea, studying the effect of lack of sleep on the body, came to important conclusions about its effect on sensitivity to pain. This new study reveals how sleep deprivation can cause pain and discomfort, pointing to potential opportunities to improve treatment for the condition.

Lack of sleep has always been a problem, but its exact effects on the body have remained a mystery until now. This study reveals that sleep deprivation can exacerbate the nervous system's response to potential pain stimuli and increase pain sensations in the body.

There is a view that lack of sleep can cause headaches and body aches during the day. According to research, this may be related to the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN), the part of the brain responsible for processing pain. Disrupted sleep can cause TRN activity, making the body more sensitive to pain.

Study co-author Shiqian Shen, an anesthesiologist and pain specialist at Harvard Medical School, said: "We propose a mechanism for how sleep disruption leads to exaggerated pain, suggesting that the use of the endocannabinoid system can break the vicious cycle between pain and sleep loss."

The study involved experiments on mice in which chronic sleep deprivation made them more sensitive to pain. This discovery points to the importance of further research in this area and the possibility of developing new approaches to the treatment of pain associated with sleep deprivation. Sleep problems exacerbate the reaction of the nervous system to potential pain stimuli and intensify pain sensations. In addition, the risk of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease increases.

These studies reveal an important mechanism that explains how sleep deprivation can affect the body's sensitivity to pain. This discovery opens up new opportunities for further research and development of treatments aimed at alleviating the condition of sleep-deprived patients. For those facing this problem, this research could be a step forward in improving the quality of life and health