Sleeping for an extra hour a night 'helps beat pain'

Sleeping for an hour or more extra a night  can dramatically improve an individual’s alertness and reduce their sensitivity to pain, say scientists.

In fact, say the researchers, getting nearly ten hours a night – rather than the recommended eight – is more effective at reducing pain than taking the drug codeine.

The study used 18 healthy, pain-free volunteers who were randomly assigned either four nights of their normal sleep pattern or four nights of ten hours in bed.