Chronic back pain in men over 65 may increase the risk of sleep problems later in life, according to a new study from Penn State University. Researchers found that men experiencing persistent back pain were more likely to develop poor sleep over time, with the relationship running in one direction: back pain first, followed by sleep disturbances.
“We know that back pain and sleep are serious issues for older adults,” said Soomi Lee, associate professor of human development and family studies at Penn State and lead author of the study. “We studied data collected over several years to understand whether poor sleep could predict back pain or if back pain could predict poor sleep, and we found it was the latter.”
The study, published in Innovation in Aging, used data from the long-running Osteoporotic Fractures in Men study, which tracks older men to better understand aging and the development of chronic conditions. Researchers analyzed information from 1,055 men who completed clinical sleep assessments at least six years apart and reported the severity and frequency of back pain every four months between assessments.
Comparing participants’ sleep data across the two assessments, the team found that back pain predicted a 12 to 25 percent increase in sleep problems over six years. The study looked beyond total hours of sleep, examining irregular sleep schedules, difficulty staying asleep, and excessive daytime sleepiness.
The research also explored the possibility of a two-way relationship between back pain and sleep, but found that sleep problems did not predict future back pain. Researchers caution that the findings are based on observational data from primarily white, older men, and may not apply equally to women or more diverse populations.
Lee said the study highlights the importance of addressing back pain in older adults. “If caregivers or loved ones see back pain issues, this can be a warning sign,” she said. Effective management of pain, she added, may help prevent future sleep problems and reduce the risk of related health issues such as memory decline, depression, anxiety, and falls.
Quality sleep in older adults is strongly associated with better physical health, slower cognitive decline, and lower mortality risk. Recent research indicates that people with chronic insomnia—difficulty sleeping at least three nights per week for three months or more—are about 40 percent more likely to develop dementia or mild cognitive impairment than those who sleep normally.
The study’s findings suggest that addressing chronic back pain could be a key step in improving sleep quality and long-term health outcomes for older men. Clinicians and caregivers are encouraged to monitor back pain carefully and consider interventions that may reduce its impact on sleep.
