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An extra hour of sleep will replace pain medication
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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American scientists claim that an extra hour of sleep improves a person's alertness and reduces sensitivity to pain.
The results of the scientists’ research were published on the pages of the scientific publication “Sleep”.
Experts at the Henry Ford Clinic in Detroit, led by Dr. Timothy Roehrs, have found that sleeping ten hours a night instead of the recommended eight to nine hours can reduce pain. In particular, they say it is more effective than "numbing" the pain with painkillers such as codeine.
The study involved 18 healthy people. The volunteers were observed for eight days, four of which they slept for eight hours, and the remaining four for ten.
The results obtained indicate that the most effective way to get rid of pain was not taking painkillers, but rather sleeping at least ten hours a day.
The subjects' pain sensitivity was assessed by specialists using heat sources. According to the experts, a full night's rest for ten hours contributed to the improvement of the participants' reaction, their daytime activity, and a decrease in pain sensitivity.
Those who slept longer showed a 25% increase in pain threshold when in contact with the body's source.
Moreover, the level of this reduction in pain sensitivity is greater than the effect of codeine, which the researchers studied in a previous study.
"In combination with previous research results, the result we have now obtained allows us to conclude that sensitivity to pain largely depends on a person's condition, that is, on lack of sleep and fatigue," the researchers comment. "Thus, we can conclude that in various chronic conditions and diseases that are accompanied by pain, it is important for the patient to get a good night's sleep. In addition, the scientists hope that the results of their work will be useful for reducing pain during surgical interventions."
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