Elevated pain sensitivity is associated with reduced rapid eye movement (REM) sleep in females with comorbid temporomandibular disorder and insomnia.

Our findings demonstrate that higher generalized pain sensitivity, masseter pain pressure threshold, as well as central sensitization were associated with a lower percentage of REM in participants with myofascial pain and arthralgia of the masticatory system. These findings provide an important step toward understanding the mechanistic underpinnings of how chronic pain interacts with sleep physiology.