8C- improving sleep-wake patterns and mental wellbeing

Question 1

sleep hygiene

Answer 1

the sleep related behaviours and environmental conditions that are beneficial for sleep

Question 2

zeitgeber

Answer 2

an environmental cue such as light, temperature and eating patterns that can synchronise and regulate the body’s circadian rhythm

Question 3

daylight

Answer 3

all direct and indirect sunlight during the daytime

Question 4

blue light

Answer 4

a part of the visible light spectrum that is emitted from smartphone screens, computer monitors, televisions, LED and fluorescent lightbulbs and sunlight

Question 5

what is sleep hygiene and give some examples

Answer 5

sleep hygiene refers to the sleep related behaviours and environmental conditions that can be used to promote better quality sleep and increased alertness during the day.
some sleep hygiene practices include, not consuming stimulants before bed, avoiding vigorous exercise and device usage, not eating heavy meals, ensuring a comfortable sleeping area, not associating the room with work but rather relaxation and ensuring adequate natural light during the day to boost melatonin release

Question 6

what is the link between sleep hygiene and mental wellbeing

Answer 6

sleep hygiene ensures high quality sleep which allows for an improved mental wellbeing
research has found that poor sleep can be correlated with mental illness but having good sleep can lower the risk of mental health problems.
they have a bidirectional relationship, meaning that sleep affects mental wellbeing and mental wellbeing can also impact sleep

Question 7

what is mental wellbeing

Answer 7

an individuals psychological state, including their ability to think, process information and manage emotions

Question 8

what do sleep hygiene practices consider?

Answer 8

important sleep related zeitgebers which are environmental cues like light, temperature and eating patterns that can synchronise and regulate the body’s circadian rhythm

Question 9

zeitgeber: outline a natural source of blue light

Answer 9

daylight is the primary zeitgeber for the human circadian rhythm and includes all direct and indirect sunlight during the day.
daylight is predominantly natural blue light
if the amount of detected light increases, melatonin production is suppressed, promoting wakefulness. if the amount of light detected decreases, more melatonin is released, promoting sleepiness
this allows the circadian system to resynchronise daily to keep in sync with the external environment

Question 10

zeitgeber: outline an artificial source of blue light

Answer 10

blue light can be artificially produced from screens, LED and fluorescent lightbulbs too.
blue has the greatest influence on the circadian rhythm as it inhibits melatonin secretion.
however, exposure to blue light at the wrong times, can reduce obth quality and quantity of sleep
therefore, blue light exposure at night can contribute to sleep disorders and as a result poor mental and physical wellbeing

Question 11

how can people influence their exposure to light

Answer 11

healthy people with no sleep disorders expose themselves naturally to daylight during the day and block out artificial light, particularly blue light at night. they consistently expose themselves to light at the appropriate time to reinforce a regular sleep wake cycle.

Question 12

what are some ways to avoid blue light

Answer 12

use built in screen filters, night mode settings, reduce screen brightness, or just don’t use screens.
dim LED room lights, using red or orange lamps, or using blue light glasses

Question 13

how can blue light improve wellbeing

Answer 13

blue light can keep a person alert, improving their performance and mood.
using it at the correct times of the day, can improve learning, performance and mood.

Question 14

body temperature: impacts on sleep

Answer 14

body temperature decreases in the early evening, with sleep onset occurring when core body temperature is at its greatest rate of decline.
an increase in blood flow to the skin results in skin warming causing heat to be lost and body temperature drops
lowest body temperature occurs 2 hours after sleep onset
there is a link between the neural pathways promoting NREM sleep and neural pathways for cooling
increase in melatonin coincides with decrease in core body temperature

Question 15

what is the ideal temperature for sleep onset

Answer 15

19-21°C / 18.3°C

Question 16

how does room temperature impact sleep

Answer 16

temperature can affect the quality and amount of sleep a person gets. a cooler room temperature is linked to better sleep quality and quantity

Question 17

what is the ideal skin and bed microclimate

Answer 17

31-35°C for people during sleep

Question 18

how does extreme temperatures impact sleep

Answer 18

whether very high or very low, it won’t lead to good quality or quantity of sleep for most.

Question 19

how can temperature as a zeitgeber be used to help elderly people

Answer 19

those in the elderly age group typically have more trouble with thermoregulation. research has shown that subtle skin warming restores the age related decrease in deep sleep and reduced early morning awakening. regulating temperature can help a person to initiate sleep quicker and maintain sleep during the night, improving consistency of the sleep wake cycle and mental wellbeing.

Question 20

what are eating and drinking patterns

Answer 20

what, when and how much food and drink is consumed by an individual- they affect quality and quantity of sleep

Question 21

how is the SCN impacted by food and drink

Answer 21

affected by long term severe food deprivation, calorie restriction and perceived starvation.
furthermore, secondary body clocks are impacted by timing of meals which then impacts the daily resetting signals from the SCN

Question 22

for optimal energy how should the body clocks interact

Answer 22

peripheral clocks should be synchronised with the SCN

Question 23

how can SCN be deregulated

Answer 23

if a person begins to alter the timing, amount and composition of their meals to the inactive dark phase of the 24 hour cycle, mealtimes would be in misalignment with the routine light-dark cycle of the day. this would influence the peripheral clock timing, leading to an uncoupling of the peripheral clocks

Question 24

what are some foods that compromise the quality and quantity of sleep

Answer 24

caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods, food/drink high in fat/sugar

Question 25

caffeine- zeitgeber

Answer 25

stimulant which means it increases the nervous system’s functioning and blocks the functioning of
sleep-promoting neurotransmitters, such as serotonin.

Question 26

alcohol- zeitgeber

Answer 26

depressant which means it does increase feelings of drowsiness, making it easier for someone to fall asleep. However, it leads to poor quality sleep and intake of alcohol is linked to less time spent in the mentally- restoring REM sleep as well as fragmented (broken) sleep due to increased awakenings from sleep.

Question 27

spicy foods- zeitgeber

Answer 27

increase heat within the body which can lead to a higher body temperature and a feeling of being ‘too hot to sleep’. Spicy foods also increase the body’s metabolism and impair good quality sleep.

Question 28

food/drinks high in fat/sugar- zeitgeber

Answer 28

contribute to rapid increases in blood glucose levels which can increase time spent awake, lead to more awakenings from sleep and also take longer to digest which means the body cannot relax and transition into sleep as smoothly.

Question 29

how does the timing of food impact sleep

Answer 29

eating too close to bedtime stimulates the digestive system, making it difficult for a person to fall
asleep quickly.

Question 30

how does the amount of food impact sleep

Answer 30

Eating too little before bed can cause a person to become hungry, keeping them up and impairing sleep. Eating too much can also impair sleep by activating the functioning of the digestive system as it needs to work harder to break down the consumed food/drink.

Question 31

Identify three zeitgebers that a person can use to improve their sleep and mental wellbeing.

Answer 31

Light, temperature, and eating and drinking patterns

Question 32

Which wavelength of light has the greatest influence on the circadian rhythm?

Answer 32

Blue light range

Question 33

Which zeitgeber has a strong influence on the body’s peripheral clocks?

Answer 33

Food and meal timing can affect the peripheral clocks of the body.

Question 34

Describe the ideal timing of meals to allow for the best sleep.

Answer 34

Meal times should be consistent and aligned appropriately with a person’s sleep-wake cycle, such during the daytime if the person is awake during the daytime.

Question 35

Describe the effect of eating dinner at midnight on a person’s circadian rhythm.

Answer 35

The peripheral clocks that are influenced by food may become out of sync with the circadian rhythm.

Question 36

With reference to the zeitgeber of temperature, explain why it is often suggested that we have a warm bath or shower before bedtime, but not complete strenuous exercise right before bed.

Answer 36

A warm bath or shower can help produce an ideal microclimate for sleep, similar to using warm bedding. This has the effect of cooling body temperature, which has been linked with aiding sleep onset

Body temperature increases during strenuous exercise, and it may take time to cool back down to regular levels. So sleep onset may take longer if a person exercises right before bed because their body temperature needs to cool further.