Analgesics: Friends or Foe of a Good Night’s Sleep?

Given the known shared physiological mechanisms underpinning pain processing, sleep regulation, and pharmacology of analgesics prescribed for chronic pain, Dr Iacovides will describe how commonly prescribed analgesics act in sleep-wake neural pathways, with potential unintended impact on sleep and/or wake function. Sleep disruption, whether pain- or drug-induced, negatively impacts various aspects of mental and physical health. Specifically in the context of chronic pain, poor sleep quality heightens pain sensitivity and may affect analgesic function, potentially resulting in further analgesic need. Clinicians already consider various factors when making analgesic prescribing choices, including efficacy, abuse potential, and likely side effects. Dr Iacovides highlights that analgesic-related sleep disruption should also be considered. By focusing on proposed underlying physiological mechanisms, Dr Iacovides will further present on the growing body of literature supporting the benefits of non-pharmacological treatments, including cognitive strategies, for the management of both chronic pain and sleep.