Sleep Flashcards
What are the 5 stages of sleep and how do they differ?
The stages of sleep differ in EEG patterns, EOG (eye movements) and EMG (muscle tone) REM - rapid eye movement NREM 1 - Non-rapid eye movement, drowsy NREM 2 - light NREM 3 - moderate NREM 4 - deep
What are some of the factors influencing sleep quality?
- Sleep duration
- Sleep timing (e.g. bedtimes and wake times)
- Sleep efficiency
- Sleep disturbances
- Perceived quality
- Daytime sleepiness
- Breathing difficulties during sleep
- Medication use
What are some of the consequences of poor sleep?
- Accidental death
- Yawning
- Memory problems
- Hallucinations
- Micro-sleep
- Weakened immune system
- Weight gain
- High blood pressure
- Impaired brain activity
- Cognitive dysfunction
- Moodiness
- Depression
- Accident prone
- Cold and flu
- Type II diabetes
- Heart disease
Sleep and obesity: sleep deprivation -> increased calorie intake (increased hunger, increased opportunity to eat), reduced energy expenditure (altered thermoregulation, increased fatigue)
What are the implications of poor sleep for occupational health psychology?
- Absenteeism
- Presenteeism
- Safety
- Work engagement
- Substance use
Causes: job demands, bullying, work hours, work-life balance
Strategies: flexible working conditions, sleep pods, stress reduction
What is sleep hygiene and how can it be improved?
Sleep hygiene is the common recommended behavioural and environmental practices intended to promote better quality sleep
- Sleep partners – restlessness, snoring, coming to bed late or getting up early
- Alcohol and caffeine – effects can last 8 hours, so avoid stimulants. Pick herbal teas instead
- Naps – only if it can be a regular part of schedule, 30 or 90 min to wake refreshed
- Time – minimise clock light, keep a regular sleep schedule
- Clean and allergy free – allergies contribute to apnoea and disrupted sleep
- White noise – helps to tell the brain everything is okay, and go back to sleep
- Physical activity – creates more restful sleep and increases daytime energy. However not recommended to exercise after 5pm
- Mental practice – progressive muscle relaxation, breathing exercises
- Bed ergonomics – bed big enough, proper pillow, supportive mattress
- Work vs. play – only use bed for sleep and sex. Train your brain to associate it with restfulness
- Blue light/screens – blue light decreases melatonin. Keep your bedroom screen-free and end screen time 30 minutes before bed. Use bright light to wake up
- Keep a journal – to log racing thoughts and to-do lists. Once it’s in the journal, let your brain be done with it until the morning
- Temp regulation – keep the bedroom cool, be able to kick off your covers or shed layers and stay cool
What are the defining characteristics of insomnia?
Frequently observed as a co-morbid condition with other medical conditions or mental disorders
- Predominant complaint of dissatisfaction with sleep quantity, associated with difficult initiating sleep, difficulty maintaining sleep
- Causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, educational, academic, behavioural or other important areas of functioning
What is the difference between transient and chronic insomnia?
Transient insomnia lasts one night, or a week or two. Symptoms can be similar to sleep deprivation. Can often be treated with the temporary use of medication
Chronic insomnia - lasts week, months or year. Effects may vary and may include sleepiness, muscular and/or mental fatigue, hallucinations
What is hyper-somnolence disorder?
Self-reported excessive sleepiness, despite adequate sleep with at least one of:
- Recurrent periods of sleep or lapses into sleep within the same day
- A prolonged main sleep (>9 hours) that is not restorative
- Difficulty being fully awake after abrupt awakening
Accompanied by distress, cognitive, social, occupational impairment
What is narcolepsy and how is it treated?
Recurrent periods of an irrepressible need to sleep. The presence of at least one of the following:
- Episodes of cataplexy
- Hypocretin deficiency
- REM sleep latency less than 15 minutes or a mean REM sleep latency less than 8 minutes
What is cataplexy and how is it treated?
Attack of muscle weakness or paralysis that can last a few seconds or minutes. The individual is conscious of everything but unable to move. The attack is precipitated by strong emotion, laughter or joking.
Treatment:
- Carers, stimulus control, home modification
- Psychotropic medications - antidepressants, sodium oxide
What is the most common breathing-related sleep disorder and what is it linked to?
Sleep apnoea. It is being linked with obesity and as we are becoming an increasingly obese society, sleep apnoea is becoming more prevelant
What are some of the factors to consider when treating sleep disorders?
Treatment varies according to condition
- Accurate diagnosis - keep a sleep journal, polysomnography
- Behavioural - sleep hygiene
- Psychological - relaxation, CBT, exploration of psychological cause
- Pharamcological
- Physical - sleeping equipment, surgery, weight loss
- Treatment of co-occurring symptoms
