Objectives: To test whether older adults' pain was bidirectionally associated with nighttime sleep disturbances and whether daily positive encounters attenuated these associations. Methods: Participants (N = 292, mean = 73.71 years old) from the Daily Experiences and Well-being Study indicated pain and positive encounters with close partners (e.g., family and friends) and nonclose partners (e.g., acquaintances and service providers) every 3 hours throughout each day across 4-6 days. They also reported nighttime sleep disturbances the following morning. Results: Multilevel models revealed that participants with more prior nighttime sleep disturbances reported more severe pain the next day. This link was attenuated on days when participants had a greater proportion of positive encounters or viewed encounters as more pleasant, especially when these encounters occurred with close partners. Discussion: This study identifies benefits of positive encounters to older adults and sheds light on ways that may alleviate their pain from a social perspective.

Objectives

To examine whether (a) negative social encounters and physical pain are linked throughout the day, (b) negative mood mediates these associations, and (c) these associations vary by closeness with social partners.

Method

Adults aged 65+ (n = 313) completed ecological momentary assessments and reported their negative social encounters, physical pain, and mood every 3 hr throughout the day for 5-6 days.

Results

Multilevel models revealed that negative social encounters were associated with greater pain at each 3-hr interval and that this association was mediated by negative mood during the same interval. Negative encounters with less close partners were associated with pain, but negative encounters with close partners were not.

Discussion

Regulating older adults' negative emotions may be crucial to improving their daily pain. Further, interventions focusing on negative encounters with less close partners in daily life may help mitigate older adults' experiences of pain throughout the day.