Eli5: If you are In pain, and you fall asleep, what “happens” to the pain?

Question

Eli5: If you are In pain, and you fall asleep, what “happens” to the pain?

In: Biology

Answer 1

When you sleep, a lot of the neurons in your brain and brain stem just ‘turn off’ to rest. These include the neurons responsible for sending pain signals. The thing causing the pain continues to trigger the nerves at the site of the injury, but the signal gets interrupted at your brain stem and doesn’t reach the conscious parts of your brain.