Sleep-Wake Disorders and a Look at Insomnia through Biological and Behavioral Perspectives

Insomnia is defined by difficulties in falling asleep, maintaining sleep, and problems with early morning awakenings. Unfortunately, due to these symptoms daytime fatigue often follows. Daytime fatigue may have a severe impact on an individual’s day. Insomnia symptoms may not exist alone, however. Individuals who are diagnosed with insomnia have another disorder present as well. Often insomnia is paired with anxiety and mood disorders. Therefore, insomnia can be viewed through the biological and behavioral perspectives. Insomnia is a disorder that can be treated. The most common treatment would be cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, but treatment is not limited to just that

The Natural History of Insomnia: Acute Insomnia and First-onset Depression

Study Objectives: While many studies have examined the association between insomnia and depression, no studies have evaluated these associations 1) within a narrow time frame, 2) with specific reference to acute & chronic insomnia, and 3) using polysomnography. In the present study, the association between insomnia and first-onset depression was evaluated taking into account these considerations. Design: A mixed-model inception design. Setting: Academic research laboratory. Participants: Fifty-four individuals (acute insomnia (n=33), normal sleepers (n=21)) with no reported history of a sleep disorder, chronic medical condition, or psychiatric illness. Interventions: N/A Measurements and Results: Participants were assessed at baseline (two nights of polysomnography and psychometric measures of stress and mood) and insomnia and depression status were reassessed at 3 months. Individuals with acute insomnia exhibited more stress, poorer mood, worse subjective sleep continuity, increased N2 sleep and decreased N3 sleep. Individuals that transitioned to chronic insomnia exhibited (at baseline) shorter REM Latencies and reduced N3 sleep. Individuals that exhibited this pattern, in the transition from acute to chronic insomnia, were also more likely to develop first-onset depression (9.26%) as compared to those who remitted from insomnia (1.85%) or were normal sleepers (1.85%). Conclusion: The transition from acute to chronic insomnia is presaged by baseline differences in sleep architecture that have, in the past, been ascribed to Major Depression, either as heritable traits or as acquired traits from prior episodes of depression. The present findings suggest that the “sleep architecture stigmata” of depression may actually develop over the course transitioning from acute to chronic insomnia

Prevalence of insomnia symptoms and their associated factors in patients treated in outpatient clinics of four general hospitals in Guangzhou, China

Background: Data on the prevalence of insomnia symptoms in medical outpatient clinics in China are lacking. This study examined the prevalence of insomnia symptoms and their socio-demographic correlates in patients treated at medical outpatient clinics affiliated with four general hospitals in Guangzhou, a large metropolis in southern China. Method: A total of 4399 patients were consecutively invited to participate in the study. Data on insomnia and its socio-demographic correlates were collected with standardized questionnaires. Results: The prevalence of any type of insomnia symptoms was 22.1% (95% confidence interval (CI): 20.9–23.3%); the prevalence of difficulty initiating sleep was 14.3%, difficulty maintaining sleep was 16.2%, and early morning awakening was 12.4%. Only 17.5% of the patients suffering from insomnia received sleeping pills. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that male gender, education level, rural residence, and being unemployed or retired were negatively associated with insomnia symptoms, while lacking health insurance, older age and more severe depressive symptoms were positively associated with insomnia symptoms. Conclusions: Insomnia symptoms are common in patients attending medical outpatient clinics in Guangzhou. Increasing awareness of sleep hygiene measures, regular screening and psychosocial and pharmacological interventions for insomnia are needed in China. Trial registration: ChiCTR-INR-16008066. Registered 8 March 2016

Benefit of Brown Rice Feeding on Elderly Insomnia

Difficulty falling asleep or insomnia is one of health problems in elderly. Age is one of the risk factor of insomnia. Tryptophan in brown rice can stimulate the formation of serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that causes someone sleeps easily. This research used quasi-experimental design with pretest posttest without control group. Population in this research is 20 elderly persons in Budi Luhur Nursing House unit of Kasihan, Bantul. Result experiment shows that 7 elderly persons have improvement in difficulty falling asleep or insomnia. Improvement of insomnia degree in elderly may be caused by the tryptophan in brown rice. Elderly persons can consume brown rice as alternative food for improving insomnia

Insomnia and emotion regulation. Recent findings and suggestions for treatment

Recent findings suggest that insomnia and emotion regulation are closely connected. Insomnia is widely associated with medical and psychiatric conditions as well as with impaired quality of life and emotional functioning. Additionally empirical evidence suggests that emotional dysregulation plays a crucial role in the onset and maintenance of psychopathological disorders. Although these seem to interact, very few studies investigated the relationship between disturbed sleep and problems in emotion regulation. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) has been demonstrated to be effective in comorbid insomnia. However, emotion regulation skills are not included in this intervention. After reviewing the recent findings of the literature, we aim to discuss future directions for the inclusion of emotion regulation training in the treatment of insomnia disorde

The GoodNight study—online CBT for insomnia for the indicated prevention of depression: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) delivered through the Internet is effective as a treatment in reducing insomnia in individuals seeking help for insomnia. CBT-I also lowers levels of depression in this group. However, it is not known if targeting insomnia using CBT-I will lower depressive symptoms, and thus reduce the risk of major depressive episode onset, in those specifically at risk for depression. Therefore, this study aims to examine whether Internet delivery of fully automated self-help CBT-I designed to reduce insomnia will prevent depression. METHOD/DESIGN A sample of 1,600 community-dwelling adults (aged 18-64), who screen positive for both subclinical levels of depressive symptoms and insomnia, will be recruited via various media and randomised to either a 9-week online insomnia treatment programme, Sleep Healthy Using The internet (SHUTi), or an online attention-matched control group (HealthWatch). The primary outcome variable will be depression symptom levels at the 6-month post-intervention on the Patient Heath Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). A secondary outcome will be onset of major depressive episodes assessed at the 6-month post-intervention using 'current' and 'time from intervention' criteria from the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. DISCUSSION This trial is the first randomised controlled trial of an Internet-based insomnia intervention as an indicated preventative programme for depression. If effective, online provision of a depression prevention programme will facilitate dissemination. TRIAL REGISTRATION Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR), Registration number: ACTRN12611000121965.This study is supported by a grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Australia (GNT1005867)

The prevalence of insomnia in the general population in China: A meta-analysis

This is the first meta-analysis of the pooled prevalence of insomnia in the general population of China. A systematic literature search was conducted via the following databases: PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE and Chinese databases (China National Knowledge Interne (CNKI), WanFang Data and SinoMed). Statistical analyses were performed using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis program. A total of 17 studies with 115,988 participants met the inclusion criteria for the analysis. The pooled prevalence of insomnia in China was 15.0% (95% Confidence interval [CI]: 12.1%-18.5%). No significant difference was found in the prevalence between genders or across time period. The pooled prevalence of insomnia in population with a mean age of 43.7 years and older (11.6%; 95% CI: 7.5%-17.6%) was significantly lower than in those with a mean age younger than 43.7 years (20.4%; 95% CI: 14.2%-28.2%). The prevalence of insomnia was significantly affected by the type of assessment tools (Q = 14.1, P = 0.001). The general population prevalence of insomnia in China is lower than those reported in Western countries but similar to those in Asian countries. Younger Chinese adults appear to suffer from more insomnia than older adults

Investigating the Relationship Between Mental Health and Insomnia in Pregnant Women Referred to Health Centers in Estahban

Pregnancy is the most sensitive period in women's life which makes many physical and mental changes. Sleep problems are one of the issues that are reported by pregnant women; it appears to be associated with psychological consequences in pregnant women. This study aims to investigate the relationship between mental health and insomnia in pregnant women referred to health centers in estahban. This descriptive-analytic study has been done on 182 pregnant women referred to health centers of Estahban in 2015 by available sampling method. Research tools used in this study were general health questionnaire 28 (GHQ 28) and insomnia severity index (ISI).Data were analyzed using Chi-Square and Pearson Correlation tests in SPSS 22 software. Research findings showed that 46.2% of women were suspected of mental disorders, and 58.8% of them suffered from insomnia. According to Chi-square test, there was a significant relationship between total score of mental health and a total score of insomnia(r=0.58, p<0.05). Also, a significant relationship was observed in all variables of mental health and insomnia (p<0.05). Results indicate a high level of mental disorders as well as insomnia among pregnant women; also, the mutual effect of these diseases on each other. As a result, sleep hygiene education as well as appropriate consideration and counseling to pregnant women to treat disorders for achieving a safe pregnancy are recommended

Sleeping Mindfully

Insomnia is a disorder of hyperarousal that affects up to 30% of adults. Insomnia is based on cognitive dysfunction that causes us to worry and neuroendocrine factors that upregulate our autonomic nervous system. Studies have shown that just 10 minutes of daily mindfulness practice can improve sleep. Mindfulness is able to work at the root of both causes of insomnia. It improves our ability to relax through increasing attentional factors that impart control over stress hormones and helps reduce ruminative thoughts.https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/fmclerk/1520/thumbnail.jp