'Insomniac adults' more likely to suffer back pain later in life

Written By: Agencies | Published : December 22, 2014 12:00 PM IST

Washington, Dec 21: A new research has recently revealed that adults suffering from insomnia are almost one-and-a-half times more likely to suffer from back pain eventually. The study conducted by University of Haifa mentioned that the reasons for back pain were varied, but around 60 percent to 80 percent of the adult population suffers from it at some point in their lives and some 90 percent of those suffering from it have no identifiable cause. (Read: 10 reasons for a back pain that will open your eyes!)

Dr. Maayan Agmon and Dr. Galit Armon, researchers of the University of Haifa explained that after controlling variables such as socioeconomic status, lifestyle issues and more, they came to the conclusion that insomnia was a marker for the increased risk of back pain, but reverse was not the case. The study included that insomnia increases a person's sensitivity to pain and that those suffering from it were liable to suffer from spontaneous pain more often and with more intensity compared to others. (Read: Try nutmeg to beat insomnia)

Experts mentioned that one possible link would be stress, as people suffering from insomnia generally describe their lives as stressful, so it's almost certain that they would suffer from chronic restlessness that would increase muscle tension and reduce the number of micro-pauses in muscle activity, which leads to back pain. Researchers concluded that the reason for this was not yet explored, but it's possible that the link between the two conditions stems from a third biological factor that they haven't succeeded in identifying yet. (Read: 7 food items to help you sleep well)