I Feel Ur Pain

It's a weird thing but a new study has found that partners of people in pain often sleep badly when their partners are in pain.

It's not because their partners toss and turn trying to get comfortable. The partners were most likely just reacting empathically to their loved one's pain (bet we're talking women, here).

The ones in pain sleep fine.

My husband has been haunted by knee problems for most of his adult life.  A competitive tennis player from way back, his knee was injured in a match and, against better advice, he had his meniscal tear operated on -- and it was never the same again.  I can't say that I don't sleep well when he's in pain, but I do worry about him and wish he could have more healing.

The study found that the effects the patients' pain had on spousal sleep "were not a result of their own disturbances in sleep," the researchers said,according to medicalnewstoday.com.

In other words, you're lying wide awake while he's sleeping peacefully.

And here's the really weird part -- with spouses who had a closer relationship, patient pain resulted in "less refreshing sleep for spouses."  In other words, the more you care for your partner, the less well you'll sleep.

Doctors are now considering whether they should warn patients in a good, strong marriage that their sleep could be disrupted if their spouse is injured.  I told you it was weird. 

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