You get a sky high blood pressure reading at your pain specialist appointment. My blood pressure always goes really high when I don't get sleep & goes back down much closer to normal when I'm rested even though I'm not relaxed.....one time pain specialist suggested I go to the ER it was so high....I didn't & it came down.....but it made me realize just how important our sleep is......he gave me something to help me sleep that time.......when I said I have a hard time sleeping, he said that shouldn't effect it.....I commented like hard time sleeping at all for days....not just a difficult night's sleep......Yep, there is a difference between the 2......& it does effect one's body in a negative way.