HEA 110-Dimensions of Wellness-Chapter 4-"Sleep, Your Body, & Your Mind"
Antihistamines
The most popular over-the-counter sleep drug.
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)
Through a mask that fits over the sleeper's nose and mouth, the device sends air into the sleeper's throat at a pressure just high enough to keep the airways open.
Watch your food intake.
-Although a small snack before bed can help make you sleepy, avoid large meals, which can prompt heartburn. -Also avoid spicy foods, which can raise your body temperature enough to cause you to lie awake.
Try to limit nighttime technology use.
-An emerging body of research indicates that bright light from devices such as laptops, tablets, and phones may make you less drowsy and perhaps limit sleep-inducing melatonin production. *One small study, for example, found that wearing orange-tinted, light-blocking glasses during pre-bed screen time resulted in more natural evening sleepiness.
Sleep studies
-Are tests conducted while you sleep—usually in a sleep lab within a hospital or at a specialized sleep clinic, -Prior to the test, electrodes are attached to your scalp and body. *While you sleep, these send feedback to a device that records data such as your brain waves, eye movements, heart rate, and snoring. -A soft belt around your torso records your breathing rate, and a clip on one fingertip records the level of oxygen in your blood. --Although these devices may feel unusual, they do not cause pain. ---The results of a sleep study may reveal, for example, blocked airflow or limb muscle movement. ----Typically, a sleep specialist reviews the findings and recommends appropriate treatment.
Cut caffeine
-Avoid caffeinated drinks after lunchtime because caffeine can stay in your system for hours. -Bear in mind that some energy drinks contain as much caffeine as a similar amount of brewed coffee. -Moreover, bottled teas, iced-tea mixes, premium brands of coffee ice cream, hot cocoa, and chocolate all contain caffeine.
Ambien
-Benzodiazepine, -Highly addictive, -Habit forming.
Valium
-Benzodiazepine, -Highly addictive, -Habit-forming.
Dangers of sleep aids:
-Build a tolerance quickly, -Leaving you groggy & tired when you wake up, -Dry out your nose & mouth.
Personal Choices
-But investing in sufficient, regular sleep will pay off with improvements in your academic performance and your health, -If you're ready to give your sleep the time and attention it merits, a first step is to identify where you're starting from, -Once you know that, you'll be able to recognize the sleep-boosting strategies that are right for you.
Complementary & Alternative Therapies:
-Chamomile, -Valerian, -Melatonin supplements, -Yoga, -Tai'chi, -Pilates.
Sleep bruxism
-Clenching or grinding the teeth during sleep, -Can also cause earache, headache, and damage to your tooth enamel and the soft tissues of your mouth.
Uncommon side effects of Ambien:
-Confusion, -Memory loss, -Hallucinations, -New or worsening depression, -Thoughts of suicide, -Agitation, -Aggressive behavior, -Anxiety.
Alcohol
-Drinking before bedtime can help you fall asleep, -The problem is what happens a few hours later: In the second, deeper sleep cycle, the drowsiness wears off, -As a result, you are likely to awaken from periods of REM sleep and find it difficult to return to sleep.
OTC antihistamines for sleep include:
-Excedrin PM, -Tylenol PM, -Sominex, -Others, including generic brands.
Environmental Factors
-Factors that commonly disrupt sleep: *Financial problems; *Academic concerns; *Relationship conflicts, *Feelings of being overwhelmed—that there just aren't enough hours in a day for all you have to do.
Sleep experts recognize two tasks required for a good night's sleep:
-First, you have to be able to fall asleep! -Sleep hygiene.
Nightmare
-Frightening dreams that wake you from REM sleep, -Are not considered a sleep disorder unless they become chronic, in which case they may cause short sleep because the person fears falling asleep, -Tend to occur during one of the later cycles of REM sleep, toward morning.
Hit the gym/try lighter exercise later in the day.
-Getting exercise during the day—even just 10 to 20 minutes of walking—improves your likelihood of a good night's sleep. -In a national poll about sleep quality, those who engaged in light to vigorous exercise daily were much more likely to say they enjoyed a good night's sleep on a regular basis. -Although vigorous exercise within a few hours of bedtime hasn't been proven to disturb sleep, you may still want to opt for more gentle exercise, such as yoga or tai chi, in the evening hours to prepare for sleep.
Clinical Diagnosis & Treatment
-If sleep problems persist beyond one month, it's time to see your doctor, -Usually, a primary care provider is able to diagnose and treat sleep disorders following an interview and certain lab tests, but in some cases, referral to a sleep clinic may be necessary.
Stimulant medications
-In 2014, about 1 million Americans abused prescription stimulants, usually Ritalin, Adderall, and other drugs developed for people with attention disorders. *Abuse of these drugs on college campuses is an increasing concern among public health experts because of the drugs' potential for addiction, adverse effects on students' creativity, and relationship to sleep problems—which in turn reduce learning. In one study involving nearly 500 college students, those who reported stimulant abuse also reported lower sleep quality and greater sleep disturbance. -Moreover, although the primary reason these students gave for abusing stimulants was to improve their concentration and academic performance, the students reporting high GPAs were actually the least likely to abuse stimulants.
Central sleep apnea
-Less common, -The area of the brain that controls breathing doesn't send the correct signals to the respiratory muscles, -As a result, breathing stops for brief periods, -Snoring doesn't typically happen with this type of sleep apnea.
Insomnia
-Literally means "no sleep", -A condition characterized by difficulty falling or staying asleep, a pattern of waking too early, or poor-quality sleep.
Think of your bedroom as your "sleep cave"
-Make it as dark as possible, using room-darkening shades, if necessary, to block out streetlights, -Avoid working or studying in bed, -Try to reserve your bed only for sleep.
Keep it quiet.
-Many campuses are instituting quiet hours in dorms. -But if you can't control noise in your building or out on the street, at least try to block it out with white noise, either by using the white-noise setting on your clock radio or downloading a free audio "soundscape" app to play on your MP3 player or phone. And, of course, there are always ear plugs.
Z-drugs
A group of nonbenzodiazepine drugs with effects similar to benzodiazepines which are used in the treatment of insomnia and whose names mostly start with the letter "Z".
Sleep in America
A poll issued by the National Sleep Foundation.
Snoring
A ragged, hoarse sound that occurs during sleep when breathing is obstructed.
Overall, American men
sleep better than women.
17% of children
sleepwalk.
~4% of adults
sleepwalk.
50% of Americans
snore.
REM occurs
almost always in males, and has been linked to several health behaviors or medical conditions, including tobacco use and having a prior head injury.
For moderate cases,
an orthodontist can fit the patient with a plastic mouthpiece that adjusts the lower jaw and tongue to keep the airways open during sleep. -Or the patient can sleep with a CPAP machine.
To observers, the sleeper appears to awaken from a dream screaming and often thrashing; however, the sleeper is not awake,
and the episode may persist for 10 minutes or more, despite attempts at arousal, such as calling or shaking.
The pauses in breathing also increase the person's risk for heart attack or stroke,
and the poor sleep can lead to daytime drowsiness that sets the stage for traumatic injury.
Asian Americans
are the ethnic group most likely to say that they had a good night's sleep at least a few nights or more a week (84%), -Are also the least likely to report using sleep medication (5%), -Report getting the lowest amount of sleep each night—at least half an hour less than the amount of sleep reported by other ethnic groups.
Although sleepwalking can occur at any age, it is most common in
childhood.
~1 in
every 10 people experience RLS.
In cases of severe sleep apnea,
surgery to widen the breathing passages may be necessary. -It usually involves shrinking, stiffening, or removing excess tissue in the mouth and throat or resetting the lower jaw.
Another study of college students found improvement in sleep with both
tai'chi & Pilates.
The link between ample sleep and increased longevity and functioning
has been recognized for decades.
~1% of the population
have REM behavior disorder.
More than 6% of children
have night terrors.
~2% of adults
have night terrors.
~1 in 200 people
have some form of narcolepsy.
Due to such risks,
in 2013 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration required the makers of Ambien and similar z-drugs to reduce the recommended dose. -The FDA also issued a warning against driving the morning after taking these medications.
One recent study even linked a popular z-drug with a nearly five-fold
increased risk of death.
For mild cases of sleep apnea, taking care of contributing factors may solve the problem.
the patient may need to lose weight, quit smoking, avoid all alcohol, or use nasal decongestants, -Patients are also advised to sleep on their side.
Women are about 11% more likely to say
they get less sleep than they need.
Caucasians are much more likely (14%) than any other ethnic group (2% each)
to say they usually sleep with a pet.
Men are ~13%
more likely than women to have their sleep needs met both on weekdays and weekends.
Men are ~11%
more likely than women to say they get more sleep than they need.
13% of Caucasians
use sleep medication.
Most common ex. of parasomnia is
nightmares.
Recently, researchers conducting a review of 36 studies of obesity found—across continents, ethnicities, and ages—that short sleep was strongly and consistently associated with current and future
obesity.
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
A tracing of brain activity.
Those who suffer from nocturnal eating disorder have a risk of developing
obesity.
~50% of children and 50% to 85% of adults
occasionally experience nightmares.
9%
of African Americans use sleep medication.
30-35%
of American adults occasionally suffer from insomnia in any given year, about 10% experience chronic insomnia.
More than half
of American adults say they experience a sleep problem almost every night.
25%
of Americans take some type of medication every year to help them sleep.
8%
of Hispanics use sleep medication.
68.2%
of students felt tired, dragged out, or sleepy 3/more days of the previous week.
41.5%
of students report that, within the past week, sleepiness during daytime activities has been a notable to serious problem.
67%
of those with severe or very severe stress reported difficulty sleeping in the past seven days, compared with only 25% of those with no or mild stress.
The five basic stages of sleep are further classified into two distinct orders characterized by
rapid v. non-rapid eye movement.
At least one-third of Hispanics (38%) and African Americans (33%)
report that financial, employment, relationship, and/or health-related concerns disturb their sleep at least a few nights a week. -These concerns disturbed the sleep of 28% of Caucasians and 25% of Asian Americans.
Drowsy driving is involved in 1 in 6 fatal motor vehicle accidents in the United States,
resulting in more than 1,500 American deaths each year.
Polysomnogram
-A test conducted in a sleep lab that records brain wave activity, breathing, and other signs while the patient sleeps, -Alternatively, the physician may suggest testing at home using a sleep monitor.
REM sleep
-A type of sleep characterized by brain waves similar to those that occur while awake, during which rapid eye movement and dreaming occur, -Allows the brain to replenish its stores of certain neurotransmitters that participate in memory, learning, performance, and problem solving.
Sleepwalking is generally not serious
& needs no treatment.
Americans of college age
(19 to 29) tend to get more sleep than average.
These factors all contribute to narrowing of your airways and can result in snoring.
-Alcohol consumption, -Overweight, -Colds, -Allergies.
Obstructive sleep apnea
-A disorder in which a person, while asleep, stops breathing because his or her throat closes; -The condition results in frequent awakenings during the night, -The airway collapses or becomes blocked during sleep, -When the sleeper tries to breathe, any air that squeezes past the blockage can cause loud snoring. -Breathing pauses may occur, and choking or gasping may follow the pauses.
Sleep apnea
-A disorder in which one or more pauses in breathing occur during sleep. *These breathing pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes. --They often occur 5 to 30 times an hour. -Typically, normal breathing then starts again, sometimes with a loud snort or choking sound, -Although it can develop at any age, it becomes more common as you get older, -Most common in men, in people who are overweight, and in people who smoke.
Narcolepsy
-A disorder in which the brain fails to regulate sleep-wake cycles normally, -May experience sudden attacks of sleepiness combined with a loss of muscle tone and sometimes hallucinations and brief paralysis, -The disorder is also associated with insomnia. -Although the precise cause of narcolepsy is still unknown, genetic, biological, and environmental factors all may play a part.
Restless leg syndrome
-A nervous system disorder characterized by a strong urge to move the legs, accompanied by creeping, burning, or other unpleasant sensations, -Causes a strong urge to move the legs, accompanied by creeping, burning, itching, or otherwise unpleasant feelings in the legs—and sometimes in the arms.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine
-A professional society for the subspecialty of sleep medicine which accredits sleep medicine facilities in the United States, -Suggests you shouldn't take sleeping pills, -If possible, and suggests taking them only under a doctor's care for either occasional or short-term use.
Yoga
-A system of exercises practiced as part of the Hindu discipline to promote control of the body and mind, -Significantly improved sleep.
Aim for a warm bed & a cool room.
-Many people find it difficult to fall asleep in a hot, stuffy room. -In winter, turn down the thermostat a few degrees—to 65°F or below—and put an extra blanket on the bed. -In summer, use air conditioning or fans to cool the room as much as possible. -And make sure the room has adequate ventilation. -If appropriate, crack open a window.
REM treatment
-Medication, -Avoid alcohol.
Cognitive behavioral therapy techniques for troubled sleep:
-Muscle relaxation, -Deep breathing, -Changes to your sleep routine, and psychotherapy to help you identify and cope with the anxieties or other thoughts that disturb your sleep.
Cause of RLS
-No one knows, but both alcohol and tobacco can trigger episodes, so both should be avoided, -Some cases appear to be associated with iron deficiency, and for them an iron supplement may be prescribed, while other cases appear to have a genetic component.
2 types of sleep apgnea:
-Obstructive, -Central.
Primary insomnia
-Occurs in only about 20% of people with insomnia and almost always develops as a result of stress, -Before diagnosing this type of insomnia, a physician will conduct an interview and a series of tests to rule out behaviors (such as alcohol or caffeine intake) and medical disorders that could be causing secondary insomnia.
Sleep terrors (night terrors):
-Parasomnia characterized by the appearance of awakening in terror during a stage of NREM sleep, -Typically occur during one of the first NREM periods of the night, -Often the terror subsides on its own, and the person drifts back into restful sleep. If the person does wake up, he or she is usually very confused, -Are much less common than nightmares.
Sleep walking
-Parasomnia in which a person walks or performs another complex activity while still asleep, -Occurs during stages 3 and 4 of NREM sleep, usually early in the night, -Episodes can last from several seconds to 30 minutes. *The person rises out of bed, eyes open, but with a blank look, and typically begins walking or performing another activity, such as dressing or going to the bathroom. *If the person talks, the words make no sense. --Because injury during sleepwalking is common, the sleeper should be gently guided back to bed or awakened.
Rare effects of Ambien:
-People have gotten out of bed and sleepwalked, -Prepared and eaten food, -Made phone calls, -Even driven a car while not fully awake.
Chamomile
-Plant extract with calming and soothing properties, -Commonly used as a treatment for insomnia, -Safe to use in moderation, but has been proven in clinical trials to be effective for sleep problems.
Valerian
-Promotes sleep, -Reduces anxiety, -Commonly used as a treatment for insomnia, -Safe to use in moderation, but has been proven in clinical trials to be effective for sleep problems.
Treatment for parasomina
-Psychotherapy, -Stress management.
2 types of insomnia:
-Secondary insomnia, -Primary insomnia.
Getting Help For A Sleep Disorder:
-Sleep Treatment and Education Program for Students (STEPS), -Clinical Diagnosis & Treatment, -Complementary & Alternative Therapies.
The cause of sleep bruxism isn't known, factors contribute:
-Stress, -Substance abuse (especially abuse of stimulants, including nicotine), -Misalignment.
Secondary insomnia
-The most common type of insomnia, -Is due to a behavior such as substance abuse or another medical disorder such as heart disease.
Treatment for narcolepsy
-The use of certain medications, such as stimulants and antidepressants, to control sleep-wake cycles, -Behavioral therapies are also important and include scheduling regular naps, avoiding heavy meals, and avoiding alcohol.
Get adequate exposure to natural light during the day.
-This helps provide your brain with stimuli that help keep your body clock in sync with the environment. -As a result, you'll find it easier to nod off.
Tai'chi
-Traditional Chinese exercise for mind and body, characterized by graceful slow movements, -Significantly improved sleep.
Set aside stressors until morning.
-Try to deal with stressors—anything from paying your bills to asking your roommates to clean up their act—as early in the day as possible. -If you can't resolve your worries entirely before bedtime, at least try to set them aside—for instance, by writing them down along with two strategies for addressing them the next day. -Sleep is your chance to rest and recover.
Melatonin supplements
-Typically used by travelers to ward off jet lag, -May be able to help elderly people with insomnia fall asleep a few minutes faster and may also relieve jet lag. *Side effects have been reported, and more research is needed.
The average number of hours American adults sleep on weeknights is
6.8 hours
On average, people who sleep at least this amount of hours experience greater longevity.
7
Sleep experts report that most adults need
7-9 hours of sleep each night to feel well-rested.
Even on weekends, the average creeps up only to
7.5 hours, barely edging into the range considered ample sleep.
Spicy foods
A classic study involving young, healthy males found that on nights when the participants had Tabasco sauce and mustard with their evening meals, it took longer for them to fall asleep, and their sleep was more fitful throughout the first sleep cycle. Indigestion was not thought to be the culprit. Instead, the researchers believe that the spices elevated the participants' body temperature enough to disturb the nervous and hormonal mechanisms that normally initiate sleep.
Parasomnia
A condition in which unusual events accompany sleep.
Sedative
A drug that promotes calm and drowsiness.
Sleep maintenance
Ability to stay asleep.
Sleep debt
An accumulated amount of sleep loss that develops when the amount of sleep you routinely obtain is less than the amount you need.
Sleep Treatment & Education Program for Students (STEPS)
An extended program to teach students the importance of sleep and strategies to improve their sleep.
National Sleep Foundation
An organization designed to provide public education and awareness of sleep disorders.
Tylenol PM
Analgesic/Sleep Aid
Overall, this race has fewer sleep problems than any other ethnic group.
Asian Americans
Excedrin
Aspirin, acetaminophen, caffeine.
Diphenhydramine
Benadryl
Para-
Can mean both "along with" & "abnormal".
Most effective treatment for insomnia
Cognitive behavioral therapy.
Pilates
Combines stretching with movement against resistance.
Sominex
Diphenhydramine
Sleep bruxism treatment
Go to the dentist, who will prescribe a mouthguard, or refer you to another specialist.
Don't stare at the ceiling.
If you've gone to bed and can't fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up and do something relaxing until you feel sleepy again and can head back to bed.
Fibroblasts
In connective tissue, cells that secrete the proteins of the fibers.
Mouthguard
Individually molded device designed primarily to be worn for the purpose of helping prevent injury to the teeth and their surrounding tissues.
Chronic insomnia
Insomnia that lasts more than a month.
Sleep initiation
Longer time to fall asleep.
RLS treatment
May find that vigorous physical activity during the day reduces their symptoms at night.
Self-Monitor Your Sleep
Monitoring your sleep helps you figure out how many hours of sleep you get per night.
3-5 days--47.6%
Number of days in the prior week that students report getting enough sleep to feel well rested in the morning.
Anagelsic
Painkiller.
Make an all-out effort to avoid all-nighters, which leave you exhausted the next day and throw off your normal sleep cycle.
Plan study time in advance to make all-nighters unnecessary, especially since sleep improves one mental capability essential to studying: memory.
Dreaming occurs during ________ sleep.
REM (stage 5).
Pineal gland
Secretes melatonin.
In a national poll, more than one-third of adults admitted to having fallen asleep behind the wheel at least once in the past year.
Short sleep is associated with other kinds of traumatic injury, including work-related injuries, athletic injuries, and recreational injuries, with one study finding that about 13% of workplace injuries could be attributed to sleep problems.
Electrodes
Small metal disks.
Interleukin 6 (Cytokine)
Stimulate growth of blood cells and fibroblasts.
Sleep hygiene
The behaviors and environmental factors that together influence the quantity and quality of sleep.
Stage 3 of NREM sleep
The brain waves are just beginning to appear, and you are falling into a deep sleep.
Memory consolidation
The gradual, physical process of converting new long-term memories to stable, enduring memory codes.
Acetaminophen
Tylenol
To check for sleep apnea,
a physician looks for structural abnormalities—such as excessive tissue—in the back of the mouth and throat.
One analysis of sleep therapy among college students also discouraged the use of medications
because behavior-based approaches can deliver both effective short- and long-term improvements without the side effects of sleeping pills.
Psychological conditions, including depression and anxiety,
can also disrupt sleep.
Some medications, including antidepressants and drugs for asthma and high blood pressure,
can interfere with sleep as well.
The CDC also associates short sleep with
depression.
At least 1 in 10
people over the age of 65 have sleep apnea.
Another study has found that college students experiencing poor-quality sleep have increased levels of
physical aggression & thoughts of suicide.
In one recent national survey, people experiencing chronic pain experienced both
poorer sleep quality and a greater sleep debt than those not living with pain.
In one study, students learned a "worry control"
procedure consisting of identifying worries keeping them awake and writing down possible solutions to the worries. -The study found that the procedure significantly reduced the time it took for students to fall asleep.
Brain stem
-The lowest part of your brain, -It connects to your spinal cord and sends signals from your spinal cord to higher regions of your brain.
Cerebral cortex
-The thinking area of your brain. *When it's time to solve an equation or write a short story, your cerebral cortex goes into action. -This part of your brain is also essential to a wakeful state, receiving chemical signals from the hypothalamus that promote waking you up from sleep and keeping you awake. *And when your circadian rhythm says it's time to sleep, the cerebral cortex continues to stay active: Patterns of electrical activity generated by the cerebral cortex distinguish each of the different stages of sleep.
Stage 1 of NREM sleep
-You're drifting off, -Brain activity, as measured on an EEG, begins to slow, -Your muscles may twitch, and you are easily awakened, -This light stage of sleep typically lasts just a few minutes.
Hypnic myoclonia
A muscular jerk experienced at the onset of sleep that may replace the feeling of falling.
Sleep
A physiologically prompted, dynamic, and readily reversible state of reduced consciousness is essential to human survival
Among college students specifically,
more than one study has found that those experiencing either a sleep debt or significant daytime sleepiness are at increased risk for depression.
~15%
of American adults say they sleep fewer than 6 hours on weeknights.
1 in 5 American adults experiences very short sleep—less than 6 hours—
on weeknights.
Until the middle of the 20th century, sleep was thought to be a state of "global shutdown,"
prompted by darkness, silence, and other reductions in stimulation from the environment.
One recent study found a connection between
shorter sleep, junk food consumption, and weight gain.
-Sleep deprivation may seem like the only path to better grades, but it's actually counterproductive, -A chronic lack of sleep makes it harder to
study effectively, impairs memory, dampens your mood, and leaves you more vulnerable to getting sick.
During REM sleep,
the brain transfers short-term memories from a temporary holding region to a long-term storage site at the sides of the cerebral cortex.
Although the pons inhibits movements of most of your body's muscles,
three groups remain active: -Your respiratory muscles allow you to continue to breathe; -The tiny muscles of your inner ear still function; -Your eye muscles generate the rapid eye movements that give this sleep stage its name.
-Ample sleep not only makes for a great morning, but improved long-term health, -When you are well rested,
you remember more, enjoy better moods, find it easier to maintain a healthy weight, and reduce your risk of infectious and chronic disease.
Pons
-A brain structure that relays information from the cerebellum to the rest of the brain, -Sends signals to initiate REM sleep, -Sends signals downward to the spinal cord to paralyze your muscles so that you won't act out your dreams.
Reticular activating system (RAS)
-A group of nerve cells, -Regulates sleep, -Active signaling of this keeps you awake, keeps you awake, whereas inactivity induces sleep.
Stage 2 of NREM sleep
-You're truly—but lightly—asleep, -Your body temperature cools. Your breathing rate and pulse slow, -You are less easily aroused, -This stage of sleep may initially last about 15 minutes, but over the course of a night, you spend more time in this stage than in any other. -EEG waves become slower and broader.
Presleep use of technology:
-A recent national survey of families found that almost 90% of adults and 75% of children have at least one electronic device in the bedroom, and the vast majority of households have such devices, with many of them often left on at night. *If you're part of this majority, you might be interested to know that researchers have identified two problems with your behavior: --First, use of such devices can be "alerting," provoke anxiety, or disrupt sleep, making it difficult to disengage, fall asleep, and stay asleep, --Second, the screens of these devices emit a particular type of blue light that researchers believe is especially disruptive to sleep. - --Focusing on "blue light" devices just before trying to sleep may limit your body's melatonin production and shift your circadian rhythm.
REM behavior disorder
-A sleep disorder in which a person does not lose muscle tone during REM sleep, allowing the person to act out dreams, -Parasomnia characterized by failure of inhibition of muscle movement during REM sleep, -The pons inhibits all muscle movement, but in this disorder, this inhibition fails to occur, and the sleeper acts his dreams, sometimes with punching, kicking, or jumping, -A rare parasomnia
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
-Backflow of contents of the stomach into the esophagus, often resulting from abnormal function of the lower esophageal sphincter, causing burning pain in the esophagus, -Commonly provokes sleepless nights, and recent research has found that poor sleep can in turn trigger further GERD-related symptoms. *But although you should definitely avoid eating a full meal before going to bed, you should also avoid trying to sleep if you are physically hungry, -Technical term for heartburn.
What factors influence sleep?
-Biology & genetics, -Individual behaviors, -Environmental factors.
Hypothalamus
-Contains a distinct region of tissue that functions as your "body clock," synchronizing with changing patterns of darkness and light in your environment to prompt you to feel sleepy and to wake up, -The same region also regulates other body functions according to these changes in darkness and light—for instance, your body temperature and the release of certain hormones.
Daytime napping after a night of sleep loss:
-Decreases sleepiness, -Improves performance, -Causes beneficial changes in cortisol & interleukin-6 secretion.
Stage 5 of NREM sleep
-Dreaming occurs, -Thought to increase the capacity of learning new material.
Hypersomnia
-Excessive daytime sleepiness, -Associated with depression.
Hungry
-Food stays in your stomach about 2 to 4 hours before it is released, a little at a time, into the small intestine, -You should stay upright during this time, -If you lie down, the acid your stomach naturally produces to help break down the food can seep backward into the lower portion of your esophagus, irritating its lining and giving you the sensation commonly known as heartburn.
Students who don't get enough sleep:
-Have lower GPA's, -Have academic jeopardy (GPA is less than 2.0), -Have lower GPA's.
Naps: When & How?
-Keep it short. *About 20 to 30 minutes is ideal, and even naps of 10 minutes can help improve alertness. --Longer naps may leave you feeling groggy throughout the day. -Make a plan. *If you know you are likely to need a nap on a particular day, set aside time in advance rather than waiting until you are too cross-eyed to function. -Set a pattern. *There is a biological reason for the regular nap habits of babies and toddlers. --If you find yourself seeking a nap a few times a week, try to nap at a consistent time (early afternoon is best) and for a regular duration of 20 to 30 minutes. ---Avoid using naps as a crutch. If you consistently deprive yourself of night-time sleep and then try to get by on day-time naps, you may set off a cycle of exhaustion. ----Frequent, long, random daytime naps can harm the quality of nighttime sleep, which in turn has negative health consequences. -----If you feel like you need a long nap every day, try adjusting your nighttime sleep before you shift your daytime schedule to accommodate more napping.
Short sleep
-Less than 7 hours; -Increases risk of negative health outcomes.
Long sleep
-More than 9 hours -Greater longevity, -Quick decision making.
Stage 4 of NREM sleep
-More than half of the brain waves are the tall, slow waves characteristic of deep sleep, -Your breathing rate and pulse slow even more, and your blood pressure drops, -You are sleeping deeply and are very difficult to rouse, -Talking and sleepwalking, though uncommon, typically occur in this stage, -Also during this stage of sleep, the pituitary gland (located in the brain near the hypothalamus) releases growth hormone, -You may spend half an hour or more in this stage early in the night, but as the night goes on, you spend less and less time in this stage of deep sleep.
Smoking
-Moreover, the adverse physical effects of smoking, including the so-called smoker's cough, can disrupt sleep throughout the night. -Finally, smoking in bed can be dangerous! -Falling asleep with a lit cigarette can start a fire, and every year, almost 1,000 Americans die in residential fires caused by smoking.
Caffeine
-Most common stimulant associated with sleep troubles, -But both the amount and the timing of intake matter, -Studies suggest that the amount of caffeine in as many as 4 cups of coffee or 8 cups of tea per day confers little health risk. -However, your body gets rid of caffeine only slowly, taking about 5 to 7 hours, on average, to eliminate half of it, -Even after 8 to 10 hours, 25% of the caffeine is still present.
Sleep terrors
-Occurs in about 2% of adults, -It involves dreams of feelings of intense fear in which the sleeper appears to awaken, -This state may persist 10 min or more.
Biology & genetics:
-Over many years, numerous twin studies have shown a genetic influence on sleep patterns, including sleep-time brain activity, tendencies toward timing and length of sleep, and tendencies toward sleep disorders, -Nonetheless, environmental and behavioral factors are considered more important than genetics, -Similarly, although gender and ethnic differences in sleep patterns exist, they are thought to be due to factors such as socioeconomic differences and discrimination, stressors with the potential to affect sleep, rather than gender and ethnicity themselves.
Individual behaviors:
-Presleep use of technology, -Hunger, -Spicy foods, -Smoking, -Caffeine, -Stimulant medications, -Alcohol.
Electroencephalography (EEG)
-Revealed that sleep is induced by distinctive patterns of nerve cell communication involving several brain regions, -Researchers also learned that during sleep, all major organs continue to function, and some activities of the brain and endocrine glands actually increase, -A device that monitors the electrical activity of different regions of the cerebral cortex of the brain, using electrodes placed on or in the scalp.
Effects on academic performance:
-Short sleep, -Long sleep
Effects of short-sleep on college students:
-Sleep is closely related to college students' capacity for learning, -Studies have consistently associated short sleep with impaired learning and ample sleep with improved academic and test-taking success, -In one study of college students, sleep quality was the strongest predictor of academic performance, -More likely to succeed academically. *Why? --One factor is that ample sleep after studying dramatically improves recall, ---Recent research indicates that when it comes to memory, sleep is a highly active state in which memories undergo a process of consolidation, which is critical to long-term memory formation.
Sleep is generated & maintained by:
-The brain stem, -Diencephalon, -Cerebrum.
The regions of the human brain are involved in sleep include:
-The cerebellum, -The brain stem, -The diencephalon.
Americans who got less than 6 hours of sleep a night.
20%.
Only this amount of college students experience short sleep, and most sleep about 7 hours, typically from midnight until about 7:00 a.m.
23%
Americans who got 6 to less than 7 hours of sleep per night.
23%.
American adults who got 7 to less 8 hours of sleep a night.
27%
American adults who got 8 hours of sleep/more a night
28%.
One study of teenagers, for example, found that increasing nightly sleep from about 7 to 10 hours per night reduced the proportion of teens classified as overweight or obese by almost
5%.
Melatonin
A hormone manufactured by the pineal gland that produces sleepiness.
Non-REM (N-REM) sleep
A type of restful sleep during which the rapid eye movement characteristic of dreaming does not typically occur.
Sleep Cycle
An iPhone app that tracks your sleep cycles and wakes you up during the lightest cycle of sleep closest to your wake-up alarm time.
Cerebrum
Consists of the tissue located immediately beneath your skull.
Diencephalon
Contains thalamus and hypothalamus.
Growth hormone
Hormone secreted by anterior pituitary gland that stimulates growth of bones.
The two structures of your brain that regulate wakefulness and sleep are
Hypothalamus & pineal gland.
Several other studies have also shown that a moderate increase in sleep duration (to more than 8 hours)
improves not only alertness and performance but also mood.
A large national survey of college students found that more than this percentage that daytime sleepiness presents a moderate to significant problem.
More than 40%.
-Ample sleep can help you ward off colds and other infectious diseases, -At the same time, short sleep reduces the number of functioning immune cells that help you respond to invaders.
One study in young men found that going without sleep for more than 24 hours triggered an immune response similar to that of physical stress, leading to abnormal white blood cell counts.
Which of the following is not one of the three areas of the brain involved in generating and maintaining sleep?
Pituitary gland.
Temporal lobes
Portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) links short sleep to an increased risk for a variety of chronic diseases,
including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. -Several major studies have found that between increasing risk of both chronic disease and injuries such as fatigue-related driving accidents, less sleep can mean a shorter life span.
Cycles of sleep
Stage 1: light, transitional (1-7 mins) -hypnic jerks Stage 2: mixed EEG, sleep spindles (10-25 mins) Stage 3 & 4: Slow-wave sleep (30 mins) Stage 5: REM, EEG similar to awake, vivid dreaming.
In which of the five stages of sleep does one typically spend the most time each night?
Stage 2.
This stage of sleep is characterized by random eye movement and presence of beta waves in the brain.
Stage 5.
Rapid eye movement (REM)
Stage of sleep in which the eyes move rapidly under the eyelids and the person is typically experiencing a dream.
Prefrontal cortex
The part of the brain associated with complex thinking and decision making and that especially benefits from adequate sleep.
Stages 3 & 4 of NREM sleep
These stages of NREM sleep—which some researchers consider a single stage—are characterized by tall, slow brainwaves.
Smoker's cough
This is a persistent hacking cough resulting from a build-up of mucus in the lungs, the body's reaction to cigarette smoke.
In women,
both pregnancy and the hormonal shifts of the normal menstrual cycle can contribute.
Poor health commonly disrupts sleep,
especially when it's accompanied by pain, stress, impaired breathing, fever, or other distressing symptoms.
One factor underlying reduced sleep and increased weight might be the effect that
fatigue on the brain, food cravings, & food choices.
Americans aged 19-29
have the latest bedtime of any age group: on average, two minutes before midnight.