A Narrative Review of the Reciprocal Relationship Between Sleep Deprivation and Chronic Pain: The Role of Oxidative Stress

Abstract

Shuhan Chen,1,2 Yanle Xie,1,2 Zenghui Liang,1,2 Yu Lu,3 Jingping Wang,4 Fei Xing,1,2 Yuanyuan Mao,1,2 Xin Wei,1,2 Zhongyu Wang,1,2 Jianjun Yang,1,2 Jingjing Yuan1,2 1Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People’s Republic of China; 2Henan Province International Joint Laboratory of Pain, Cognition and Emotion, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Orthopedics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USACorrespondence: Jingjing Yuan; Jianjun Yang, Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1, Eastern Jianshe Road, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450000, People’s Republic of China, Tel [phone], Email [email protected]; [email protected]: Sleep is crucial for human health, insufficient sleep or poor sleep quality may negatively affect sleep function and lead to a state of sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation can result in various health problems, including chronic pain. The intricate relationship between sleep and pain is complex and intertwined, with daytime pain affecting sleep quality and poor sleep increasing pain intensity. The article first describes the influence of sleep on the onset and development of pain, and then explores the impact of daytime pain intensity on nighttime sleep quality and subsequent pain thresholds. However, the primary emphasis is placed on the pivotal role of oxidative stress in this bidirectional relationship. Although the exact mechanisms underlying sleep and chronic pain are unclear, this review focuses on the role of oxidative stress. Numerous studies on sleep deprivation have demonstrated that it can lead to varying degrees of increased pain sensitivity, while chronic pain leads to sleep deprivation and further exacerbates pain. Further research on the role of oxidative stress in the mechanism of sleep deprivation-induced pain sensitization seems reasonable. This article comprehensively reviews the current research on the interrelationship between sleep deprivation, pain and the crucial role of oxidative stress.Keywords: sleep deprivation, pain, oxidative stress, antioxidants

Keywords

• sleep deprivation
• pain
• oxidative stress
• antioxidants;