Affections douloureuses et sommeil

Pain is often associated with physiological and psychological impairments that impact significantly sleep quality and duration. Sleep alterations are notably difficulties in initiating sleep, numerous night awakenings and reduction in sleep duration, that lead to physical and psychological disconfort. Polysomnographic recordings reveal that chronic pain is associated with an increased number of awakenings after sleep onset and a reduced sleep efficiency. Several authors evoke also an increase of the « cyclic alternating pattern » that parallels pain severity and that reflects sleep instability.