Adolescents' self-reported sleep quantity and sleep-related personality traits—A pilot study

Summary: Question of the study: The aim of this pilot study was to assess adolescents' self-reported sleep quantity and personality traits in order to describe typical personality patterns related to sleep and characteristics that distinguish between good and poor sleepers. Participants and methods: A total of 134 adolescents (mean age: 18.60; 74 females and 60 males) completed a single sleep-related personality traits questionnaire (FEPS-I) and daily sleep logs for seven consecutive days. The daily logs data were used to cluster participants in three subgroups of poor, normal, and good sleep quality. Results: Up to 25 % of the adolescents could be considered ‘poor' sleepers and displayed personality traits such as decreased self-confidence, increased mental arousal, and self-perception of body sensations. Female adolescents were at high risk of being ‘poor' sleepers, yet up to 20 % of the adolescents could be described as ‘good' sleepers. Fifty-five per cent of the adolescents could be considered ‘normal' sleepers without appropriate sleep-related personality traits or sleeping habits. Conclusions: The pilot project, using exclusively self-reported sleep data, showed that about a quarter of adolescents were considered ‘poor' sleepers with specific sleep-related personality traits. Further investigations are needed to support these results and to allow possible preventive intervention

The relation between sleep and pain among a non-clinical sample of young adults

Poor sleep is linked to poorer daily functioning and increased risk of psychiatric symptoms. With respect to pain, the relation is bi-directional; poor sleep exacerbates pain, while greater pain adversely affects sleep. Moreover, perception of pain is subject to cognitive-emotional processes. Surprisingly, no data are available from non-clinical samples of young adults. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate the relation between sleep and pain as a function of quality of life and depressive symptoms in young adults. The direction of influence between sleep and pain was statistically tested with two different structural equation models (SEMs). A total of 862 participants (639 women, 223 men; mean age: 24.67; SD=5.91) completed a series of validated self-report questionnaires assessing sleep, quality of life, depressive symptoms and cognitive-emotional elaboration of pain. Sleep, pain, quality of life, and depressive symptoms were interrelated. The first SEM suggested both a direct and an indirect influence of pain on sleep, whereas the second SEM suggested that sleep had only an indirect influence on pain. Irrespective of the SEM, the relation between sleep and cognitive-emotional elaboration of pain was mediated by quality of life and depressive symptoms. For a non-clinical sample of young adults, findings did support the bi-directional relation between poor sleep and increased cognitive-emotional elaboration of pain, though other cognitive-emotional processes such as depressive symptoms and quality of life should be taken into accoun

Side effects of adjunct light therapy in patients with major depression

Adjunct bright-light therapy has been suggested to augment antidepressant drug treatment in patients with non-seasonal major depression. Side effects of the combined therapy have not been investigated thus far. Therefore, somatic complaints and side effects of combined therapy were evaluated in 28 patients with major depression (DSM-III-R) randomly assigned to either trimipramine or trimipramine and serially applied adjunct bright-light therapy. Response rates were comparable in both treatment groups and rates of newly emergent side effects during treatment were generally low. The most prominent unfavourable side effects of adjunct bright-light therapy as compared with trimipramine monotherapy were aggravated sedation, persisting restlessness, emerging sleep disturbance and decreased appetite as well as the worsening of vertigo. Discriminant analysis revealed that the combination of trimipramine with bright light results in a different side effect profile compared with drug monotherap

Association between subjective actual sleep duration, subjective sleep need, age, body mass index, and gender in a large sample of young adults

BACKGROUND: Poor sleep is a major health concern, and there is evidence that young adults are at increased risk of suffering from poor sleep. There is also evidence that sleep duration can vary as a function of gender and body mass index (BMI). We sought to replicate these findings in a large sample of young adults, and also tested the hypothesis that a smaller gap between subjective sleep duration and subjective sleep need is associated with a greater feeling of being restored. METHODS: A total of 2,929 university students (mean age 23.24±3.13 years, 69.1% female) took part in an Internet-based survey. They answered questions related to demographics and subjective sleep patterns. RESULTS: We found no gender differences in subjective sleep duration, subjective sleep need, BMI, age, or feeling of being restored. Nonlinear associations were observed between subjective sleep duration, BMI, and feeling of being restored. Moreover, a larger discrepancy between subjective actual sleep duration and subjective sleep need was associated with a lower feeling of being restored. CONCLUSION: The present pattern of results from a large sample of young adults suggests that males and females do not differ with respect to subjective sleep duration, BMI, or feeling of being restored. Moreover, nonlinear correlations seemed to provide a more accurate reflection of the relationship between subjective sleep and demographic variables

Impact of aerobic exercise on sleep and motor skills in children with autism spectrum disorders - a pilot study

Prevalence rates of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have increased dramatically in the last two decades. In addition to the core symptoms such as impaired communication, difficulties in social interaction, and restricted and stereotypical patterns of behavior and interests, poor sleep and motor skill (MS) deficits have also been observed in children with ASD. On the other hand, there is evidence that aerobic exercise training (AET) has a positive impact on sleep, and that specific training improves MSs. Accordingly, the aim of the present pilot study was to investigate to what extent a combination of AET and MS training (MST) would improve sleep and physical performance in a small sample of children with ASD.; Ten children with ASD (mean age: 10 years) took part in the study. After a thorough medical examination and psychiatric assessment, children participated in thrice-weekly 60-minute sessions of AET and MST lasting for 3 consecutive weeks. Sleep was assessed both objectively (sleep-encephalography [sleep-EEG]) and subjectively (parents' questionnaire). MSs were assessed via standardized test batteries. Parents completed sleep and mood logs, and ratings of mood.; Mild-to-moderate insomnia was reported in 70% of children. Compared to nights without previous AET and MS, on nights following AET and MS, sleep efficiency increased (d=1.07), sleep onset latency shortened (d=0.38), and wake time after sleep onset decreased for 63% of the sample (d=1.09), as assessed via sleep-EEG. Mood in the morning, as rated by parents, improved after three weeks (d=0.90), as did MSs (ball playing, balance exercise: ds>0.6).; The pattern of results of this pilot study suggests that regular AET and MST impact positively on sleep, MSs, and mood among children with ASD

Impact of aerobic exercise on sleep and motor skills in children with autism spectrum disorders – a pilot study

BACKGROUND: Prevalence rates of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have increased dramatically in the last two decades. In addition to the core symptoms such as impaired communication, difficulties in social interaction, and restricted and stereotypical patterns of behavior and interests, poor sleep and motor skill (MS) deficits have also been observed in children with ASD. On the other hand, there is evidence that aerobic exercise training (AET) has a positive impact on sleep, and that specific training improves MSs. Accordingly, the aim of the present pilot study was to investigate to what extent a combination of AET and MS training (MST) would improve sleep and physical performance in a small sample of children with ASD. METHODS: Ten children with ASD (mean age: 10 years) took part in the study. After a thorough medical examination and psychiatric assessment, children participated in thrice-weekly 60-minute sessions of AET and MST lasting for 3 consecutive weeks. Sleep was assessed both objectively (sleep-encephalography [sleep-EEG]) and subjectively (parents’ questionnaire). MSs were assessed via standardized test batteries. Parents completed sleep and mood logs, and ratings of mood. RESULTS: Mild-to-moderate insomnia was reported in 70% of children. Compared to nights without previous AET and MS, on nights following AET and MS, sleep efficiency increased (d=1.07), sleep onset latency shortened (d=0.38), and wake time after sleep onset decreased for 63% of the sample (d=1.09), as assessed via sleep-EEG. Mood in the morning, as rated by parents, improved after three weeks (d=0.90), as did MSs (ball playing, balance exercise: ds>0.6). CONCLUSION: The pattern of results of this pilot study suggests that regular AET and MST impact positively on sleep, MSs, and mood among children with ASD

Association between subjective actual sleep duration, subjective sleep need, age, body mass index, and gender in a large sample of young adults

Poor sleep is a major health concern, and there is evidence that young adults are at increased risk of suffering from poor sleep. There is also evidence that sleep duration can vary as a function of gender and body mass index (BMI). We sought to replicate these findings in a large sample of young adults, and also tested the hypothesis that a smaller gap between subjective sleep duration and subjective sleep need is associated with a greater feeling of being restored.; A total of 2,929 university students (mean age 23.24±3.13 years, 69.1% female) took part in an Internet-based survey. They answered questions related to demographics and subjective sleep patterns.; We found no gender differences in subjective sleep duration, subjective sleep need, BMI, age, or feeling of being restored. Nonlinear associations were observed between subjective sleep duration, BMI, and feeling of being restored. Moreover, a larger discrepancy between subjective actual sleep duration and subjective sleep need was associated with a lower feeling of being restored.; The present pattern of results from a large sample of young adults suggests that males and females do not differ with respect to subjective sleep duration, BMI, or feeling of being restored. Moreover, nonlinear correlations seemed to provide a more accurate reflection of the relationship between subjective sleep and demographic variables

Aerobic exercise training and burnout: A pilot study with male participants suffering from burnout

Occupational burnout is associated with severe negative health effects. While stress management programs proved to have a positive influence on the well-being of patients suffering from burnout, it remains unclear whether aerobic exercise alleviates burnout severity and other parameters related to occupational burnout. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to pilot-test the potential outcomes of a 12-week exercise training to generate hypotheses for future larger scale studies.; The sample consisted of 12 male participants scoring high on the MBI emotional exhaustion and depersonalization subscales. The training program took place in a private fitness center with a 17.5 kcal/kg minimum requirement of weekly energy expenditure.; The key findings are that increased exercise reduced overall perceived stress as well as symptoms of burnout and depression. The magnitude of the effects was large, revealing changes of substantial practical relevance. Additionally, profiles of mood states improved considerably after single exercise sessions with a marked shift towards an iceberg profile.; Among burnout patients, the findings provide preliminary evidence that exercise has the potential to reduce stress and prevent the development of a deeper depression. This has important health implications given that burnout is considered an antecedent of depressive disorders.; ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: ISRNCT01575743

In Individuals Following Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage, Hair Cortisol Concentrations Are Higher and More Strongly Associated with Psychological Functioning and Sleep Complaints than in Healthy Controls

Following an aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH), many patients report persistent deficits in psychological functioning, characterised by high levels of stress and symptoms of depression, low life satisfaction, along with poor sleep. Such deficits have been associated with altered saliva and serum cortisol levels due to a dysregulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity (HPA-AA). However, hair cortisol concentrations (HCCs) have not been assessed in this population, although this method allows a long-term insight into cortisol values. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare HCCs in aSAH patients and healthy controls and to examine how HCCs are associated with perceived stress, psychological functioning, and sleep complaints.; In this cross-sectional study, data on depressive symptoms, hypochondriacal beliefs, life satisfaction, and sleep complaints were gathered in 15 aSAH patients and 17 healthy controls. HCCs of the previous 3 months were assessed.; aSAH patients had significantly higher HCCs than healthy controls. In aSAH patients, higher HCCs were significantly associated with increased depressive symptoms, hypochondriacal beliefs, lower life satisfaction, and increased sleep complaints. Such significant associations were not found in healthy controls.; Our findings indicate that a dysregulation of HPA-AA is associated with some of the long-term impairments in psychological functioning and sleep in aSAH survivors. While the direction of association remained unclear, a dysregulated HPA-AA may be causally linked with the maintenance of poor psychological functioning and poor sleep. The overall findings should be considered in the planning of long-term treatment aimed at improving psychological functioning and sleep in aSAH patients

The effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy with respect to psychological symptoms and recovering autobiographical memory in patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder

Given the persistence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and its major impact on everyday life, it is important to identify effective treatments. In additional to pharmacological treatments, psychotherapeutic treatments are also highly effective. The aim of the present study was to investigate, among a sample of patients suffering from PTSD, the influence of an additional cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention on their symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety, and on autobiographical memory.; A total of 40 patients suffering from PTSD (mean age: 31.64 years; 78.6% female patients) and under psychopharmacological treatment were randomly assigned to an intervention or control condition. The intervention consisted of ten group sessions (one 60-90 minute session per week) of CBT. At baseline and 10 weeks later, a series of self-rating and experts'-rating questionnaires were completed.; Over time, symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety decreased; however, greater improvement was observed in the experimental than the control condition. Likewise, as a general pattern of results, memory performance improved over time, though again this improvement was greater in the experimental condition.; Compared to a control condition, additional CBT improves the treatment of PTSD, with respect to both symptoms and autobiographical memory