A similarity in the meaning of sleep quality between insomniacs, normal sleepersMarch 03, 2008WESTCHESTER, Ill. - Both insomnia patients and normal sleepers define sleep quality by tiredness upon waking and throughout the day, feeling rested and restored upon waking, and the number of awakenings they experienced in the night. Further, people with insomnia have more requirements for judging sleep to be of good quality, according to a study published in the March 1 issue of the journal SLEEP. "Good sleep quality is associated with a wide range of positive outcomes such as better health, less daytime sleepiness, greater well-being and better psychological functioning," said Allison G. Harvey, PhD, of the University of California at Berkeley, lead author of the study. "Moreover, poor sleep quality is one of the defining features of chronic insomnia. So it is surprising that there is minimal systematic research devoted to how humans arrive at their subjective sense of whether they had a good or poor nights sleep. In this study, we used a range of methods to compare the sleep quality judgments of insomnia patients and good sleepers. Two important findings were: (a) Tiredness upon waking and throughout the day were most consistently associated with sleep quality judgments - this finding emphasizes the importance of the recent shift in the field to study daytime variables - and (b) Individuals with insomnia appear to have more requirements to be met before they feel have experienced a night of good sleep quality. The study focused on 25 individuals with insomnia and 28 normal sleepers, whose descriptions of good and poor sleep quality nights were analyzed and recorded.
Insomnia is a classification of sleep disorders in which a person has trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or waking up too early. These disorders may also be defined by an overall poor quality of sleep. Insomnia is the most commonly reported sleep disorder. About 30 percent of adults have symptoms of insomnia. It is recommended that adults get between seven and eight hours of nightly sleep. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) offers the following tips on how to get a good night's sleep: * Follow a consistent bedtime routine. * Establish a relaxing setting at bedtime. * Get a full night's sleep every night. * Avoid foods or drinks that contain caffeine, as well as any medicine that has a stimulant, prior to bedtime. * Do not bring your worries to bed with you. * Do not go to bed hungry, but don't eat a big meal before bedtime either. * Avoid any rigorous exercise within six hours of your bedtime. * Make your bedroom quiet, dark and a little bit cool. * Get up at the same time every morning. Those who suspect that they might be suffering from insomnia, or another sleep disorder, are encouraged to consult with their primary care physician or a sleep specialist. American Academy of Sleep Medicine | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Related Insomnia News Articles Study shows subjective sensitivity skin temperature change is decreased in older insomniac adults A study in the Sept. 1 issue of the journal Sleep shows that the subjective interpretation of temperature change is decreased in older adults, particularly those who suffer from insomnia. Brain imaging links chronic insomnia to reversible cognitive deficits without changes in behavior A neuroimaging study in the Sept. 1 issue of the journal Sleep is the first to find that cognitive processes related to verbal fluency are compromised in people with insomnia despite the absence of a behavioral deficit. Mom's mood, baby's sleep: what's the connection? If there's one thing that everyone knows about newborn babies, it's that they don't sleep through the night, and neither do their parents. New evidence on addiction to medicines Diazepam has effect on nerve cells in the brain reward system Addictions to medicines and drugs are thought to develop over a relatively long period of time. The process involves both structural and functional changes in brain nerve cells that are still poorly understood. Exploring the function of sleep Is sleep essential? Ask that question to a sleep-deprived new parent or a student who has just pulled an "all-nighter," and the answer will be a grouchy, "Of course!" Insomnia: changing your bedtime habits could help Many people sleep better when they are on holiday and wish that they could sleep as well all the time. But according to the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG), it is not only being free of daily worries that can make a difference to sleep. Light Receptors in Eye Play Key Role in Setting Biological Clock, Study Shows Biologists at the University of Virginia have discovered a switching mechanism in the eye that plays a key role in regulating the sleep/wake cycles in mammals. A Therapy for Baby Boomers to Sleep On If you're over 55 and have spent more than a few sleepless nights, you're not alone -- insomnia affects about half of all people over 55 ― but you may also be at increased risk for physical and mental ailments. Study shows that older adult caregivers of people with dementia have worse sleep than noncaregivers A study in the August 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine shows that the sleep patterns of older adults who live with and provide direct care during the night for a person with dementia are significantly worse than other older adults. Epilepsy drug may help alcoholics recover from dependence, small study suggests It's a Catch-22 of the highest order. People with alcohol problems often use alcohol to get to sleep -- but it actually keeps them from getting good-quality sleep all night long. More Insomnia News Articles |
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