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Nearly all patients with chronic pain experience sleep-wake disturbances, with none achieving 85% sleep efficiency.

In a cohort of 100 patients with chronic pain, 95% had poor sleep quality based on PSQI scores, 67% had clinical insomnia (ISI ≥ 15), and average sleep efficiency was 64% (range 28-81%). A significant correlation was found between sleep efficiency and physical activity level (rs=0.31, 95% CI 0.10-0.50).

Last updated: Jul 10, 2026•0 RCTs•📖 Read as article →

Evidence Score

Evidence Score34/100
Human RCT☆☆☆☆☆
Meta-analysis☆☆☆☆☆
Mechanism★★★★★
Safety★★★★☆
Confidencelow

Study Evidence

Study 1. Sleep-Wake Disturbances in Patients With Chronic Pain-Associations With Physical Activity Levels.

observational

Varkey E, Olsson M, Piasecki A, Hedner J, Grote L, Börjesson M, Arvidsson D, Andréll P · European journal of pain (London, England) (2026)

Participants: N/A
Duration: Cross-sectional (single assessment)
Intervention: Observational assessment of sleep and physical activity using accelerometers and questionnaires (no intervention tested).
Outcome: Sleep efficiency, sleep duration, insomnia severity (ISI), sleep quality (PSQI), daytime sleepiness (ESS), restless legs syndrome symptoms, STOP-Bang score, pain intensity (NRS), anxiety and depression (HADS), physical activity level.
Effect Size: rs=0.31 (95% CI 0.10-0.50) for sleep efficiency and physical activity; rs=0.41 (95% CI 0.22-0.57) for ISI and HADS depression.
Population: 100 patients with chronic pain attending a specialist-level pain clinic.

Result:

PubMed: 42410897DOI: 10.1002/ejp.70330

Mechanism Graph

Chronic pain disrupts sleep regulation
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Poor sleep exacerbates pain perception
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Reduced physical activity due to pain severity
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Result: High prevalence of insomnia and low sleep efficiency

Limitations

  • ⚠Cross-sectional design prevents causal inference
  • ⚠Single-center study with small sample size (n=100)
  • ⚠Self-report measures may introduce bias

Frequently Asked Questions

What percentage of chronic pain patients had clinical insomnia?▼

67% of patients had clinical insomnia based on an Insomnia Severity Index score of 15 or higher.

Was there a link between physical activity and sleep quality?▼

Yes, a statistically significant correlation (rs=0.31) was found between sleep efficiency and physical activity level.

What was the average sleep duration in this study?▼

The average sleep duration was 5 hours and 30 minutes, ranging from 1 hour 46 minutes to 9 hours 52 minutes.

Did any patients achieve normal sleep efficiency?▼

No, none of the patients reached 85% sleep efficiency, which is considered indicative of stable sleep.

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References

  1. 1.Varkey E, Olsson M, Piasecki A, Hedner J, Grote L, Börjesson M, Arvidsson D, Andréll P. "Sleep-Wake Disturbances in Patients With Chronic Pain-Associations With Physical Activity Levels.." European journal of pain (London, England), 2026. PMID: 42410897 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.70330
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Evidence scores reflect the quality and quantity of available research, not clinical recommendations. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement or intervention.