Experimental Sleep Manipulation and Pain Sensitivity in Healthy Adults: A Focused Review with Emphasis on Sleep Fragmentation

Background/Objectives: Experimental sleep loss can increase pain sensitivity, but sleep duration, continuity, and architecture are often altered simultaneously. This focused review compared pain outcomes across experimental sleep manipulations in healthy adults, with particular attention to sleep fragmentation (SF) and related awakening paradigms. Methods: PubMed and Web of Science Core Collection were searched through 16 September 2026; reference and citation checking identified additional reports. Eligible reports were synthesized narratively by sleep manipulation, design, pain modality, and