Is Sleep the New Treatment for Pain? | Associate Professor Michelle Hall

Could the key to easing chronic joint pain lie in how you sleep?In this episode, Lachlan Townend talks with Associate Professor Michelle Hall from the University of Sydney's Musculoskeletal Research Hub. They unpack what osteoarthritis really is, why your X-ray often doesn't match how you feel and why myths like "bone on bone" and "exercise wears the joint out" don't hold up.Then they turn to sleep — why poor sleep doesn't just follow pain but can actively drive it, how cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) helps most people within weeks, often without medication and what Michelle's clinical trials could mean for the future of pain care.If you live with pain, or treat people who do, it's a practical and hopeful listen.Resources Is sleep contributing to you or your patients' pain? Try Pain Coach for free and find out: Click here Lachlan Townend on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lachlan-townend/ Michelle Hall on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-hall-548627111/ Michelle's research profile: https://profiles.sydney.edu.au/michelle.hall/about Musculoskeletal Research Hub, University of Sydney (Charles Perkins Centre): https://www.sydney.edu.au/charles-perkins-centre/our-research/research-groups/musculoskeletal-research-hub.html Musculoskeletal Research Hub on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/111559366/ Online sleep resources based in cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (Sleepio): https://sleepio.bighealth.com/ SLEEP-FIT Trial (sign up): https://redcap.sydney.edu.au/surveys/?s=AKTTJLD44NNMYMHK Referenced paper (open access): Klyne DM, Hall M. Is sleep the new treatment for pain? Two issues need resolving before deciding. Sleep. 2024;47(6):zsae089. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsae089Key Topics: 00:00 Intro01:19 Michelle's path into research04:00 Why her dad's pain started it all08:23 From biomechanics to the whole person13:04 What osteoarthritis really is (and why scans mislead)19:52 Myths, exercise & weight loss27:57 Why sleep matters in pain31:14 Is sleep the new treatment for pain?34:16 CBT for insomnia, explained43:52 Inside the trials52:07 Beyond knees: other pain55:24 Where to start57:23 One habit from lasting relief58:20 Find MichelleDisclaimerThis podcast is for educational purposes only. The views expressed do not constitute medical advice and are general in nature. Please obtain specific advice from a qualified health professional before acting on any information in this episode.