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Sleep is a complex and conserved biological process that affects several body functions and behaviors. Evidence suggests that there is a reciprocal interaction between sleep and immunity. For instance, fragmented sleep can increase the probability of parasitic infections and reduce the ability to fight infections. Moreover, viral and bacterial infections alter the sleep patterns of infected individuals. However, the effects of macro-parasitic infections on sleep remain largely unknown, and measuring sleep in non-model organisms remains challenging. In this study, we investigated whether macro-parasite infections could alter sleep-like behavior of their hosts. We experimentally infected three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus), a freshwater fish, with the tapeworm Schistocephalus solidus and used a hidden Markov model to characterize sleep-like behavior in sticklebacks. One to four days after parasite exposure, infected fish showed no difference in sleep-like behavior compared with non-exposed fish, and fish that were exposed-but-not-infected only showed a slight reduction in sleep-like behavior during daytime. Twenty-nine to 32 days after exposure, infected fish showed more sleep-like behavior than control fish, while exposed-but-not-infected fish showed overall less sleep-like behavior. Using brain transcriptomics, we identified immune- and sleep-associated genes that potentially underlie the observed behavioral changes. These results provide insights into the complex association between macro-parasite infection, immunity, and sleep in fish and may thus contribute to a better understanding of reciprocal interactions between sleep and immunity., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: To examine the relationships between Ramadan fasting observance (RFO) and sleep-wake patterns, daytime sleepiness, and insomnia levels in student-athletes., Methods: Sleep was measured using wrist-actigraphy in 25 semi-professional student-athletes (mean ± SD; age = 22 ± 2 years, height = 182.0 ± 5.8 cm, body mass = 81.3 ± 15.2 kg) during seven nights before RFO (academic study period), during the first half of RFO (14 nights, holiday period), and the second half of RFO (14 nights, academic study period). Additionally, participants completed the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaires seven days before RFO and on the last day of RFO., Results: Actigraphy results indicated RFO was associated with significant decreases in sleep duration during the second half of RFO vs. before and during the first half of RFO (p < 0.001). However, the first half of RFO was associated with a delay of ⁓ 2.5 h in sleep onset compared to before RFO; this delay persisted during the second half of RFO (p < 0.001). The total PSQI score before RFO (6.6 ± 2.3 AU) and during RFO (8.2 ± 2.3 AU) suggested poor overall sleep quality. ISI and ESS scores were greater during than before RFO (p = 0.002 and p = 0.041, respectively)., Conclusions: The second half of RFO was associated with decreases in objectively assessed sleep duration among student-athletes. RFO was also associated with impaired sleep quality, excessive daytime sleepiness, and increased insomnia symptoms. Personalized interventions to address sleep-related issues in student-athletes during RFO are warranted., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study investigated the relationship between physical activity, inactivity, physical function, and sleep in older adults with a frailty phenotype. A total of 184 pre-frail/frail older adults were included. Physical activity, inactive behavior, and sleep parameters were assessed using a wrist-worn accelerometer. Participants were categorized into four groups based on their levels of inactivity and physical activity. The results showed that individuals with lower levels of inactivity had better lower body mean velocity and sleep regularity than those with higher levels of inactivity. Physically active older adults exhibited faster gait speed and performed better in lower body strength tests than physically inactive participants. Further analysis revealed that specific combinations of inactivity and physical activity were associated with varying levels of physical function. The findings highlight the importance of physical activity and the negative impact of inactivity on physical function and sleep in older adults with a frailty phenotype., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Study Objective: To compare sleep behavior before and during pregnancy., Methods: In this prospective cohort study, healthy women were followed from pre-pregnancy until delivery. At pre-pregnancy and each trimester, participants completed validated questionnaires of chronotype and sleep quality and timing, including the Munich ChronoType Questionnaire, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The primary outcomes were sleep period start and end times, sleep duration, sleep midpoint, and social jetlag, compared between pre-pregnancy and each trimester. Wrist actigraphy was used to measure the same outcomes in a subset of participants., Results: Eighty-six women were included in analysis of questionnaires. Of these, 37 provided complete actigraphy data. Questionnaire and actigraphy data indicate that participants had less social jetlag during pregnancy than before pregnancy. Sleep period start times were earlier on both work and free days in the first and second trimesters than pre-pregnancy, and returned to pre-pregnancy times by the third trimester. Actigraphy data revealed that, compared to pre-pregnancy, participants had longer sleep periods in all trimesters on work days and in the first trimester on free days. Sleep surveys revealed that participants had poorer sleep quality in the first and third trimesters and more sleepiness in the first trimester than pre-pregnancy., Conclusion: The first trimester of pregnancy is characterized by earlier sleep period start time, longer sleep duration, and poorer sleep quality than pre-pregnancy. Sleep quality temporarily improves in the second trimester, and sleep period start time returns to pre-pregnancy time by the third trimester., Study Rationale: Multiple parameters of sleep have been studied in the context of pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes, but rarely in comparison to pre-pregnancy or longitudinally through pregnancy., Study Impact: Actigraphy and questionnaire data reveal sleep timing and quality change throughout pregnancy. These data on sleep changes in healthy pregnancy can be used as a baseline to identify sleep-related risk factors throughout pregnancy., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To explore the influence of loneliness on sleep behavior and sleep quality based on propensity score-matched samples in Southwest China., Methods: Individual-level data were obtained from a Southwest China cohort study. Participants who felt lonely were matched with those who did not with propensity scores on the basis of age, gender, socioeconomic factors, physical exercise and social connection level. Sleep behavior (onset and offset timing), sleep quality (sleep latency, nocturnal awakenings and subjective sleep quality), and daytime function (daytime sleepiness and fatigue) were assessed with the Pittsburgh Sleep Index Scale (PSQI) and compared between the two groups. The data were collected between May 2019 and December 2019, and data analyses were completed in April 2021., Results: A total of 11,696 participants were included, and 824 out of 839 participants who felt loneliness were statistically matched with 824 participants who did not. Analyses of the matched samples showed that sleep onset and offset timing were similar between those who felt lonely and those who did not (p = 0.110 and p = 0.751, respectively). Sleep latency was longer in those who felt lonely (26.84 [0.9] vs. 35.52 [1.2] min, p < 0.001) than in those who did not. Furthermore, participants who felt lonely tended to have poor subjective sleep, a higher frequency of nocturnal awakenings, daytime sleepiness and fatigue (all p < 0.001)., Conclusions: Loneliness was associated with extended sleep latency, increased nocturnal awakenings, and reduced subjective sleep quality and daytime function but was not associated with sleep behavior, including sleep onset and offset timings., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Light pollution is an ever increasing worldwide problem disrupting animal behavior. Artificial light at night (ALAN) has been shown to affect sleep in wild birds. Even cavity-nesting bird species may be affected when sleeping inside their cavity. Correlational studies suggest that light from outside the cavity/nest box, for example from street lights, may affect sleep. We used an experimental design to study to what extent nest boxes shield animals from effects of ALAN on sleep. We recorded individual sleep behavior of free-living great tits (Parus major) that were roosting in dark nest boxes and exposed their nest box entrance to ALAN the following night (1.6 lux white LED light; a similar light intensity as was found at nest boxes near street lights). Their behavior was compared to that of control birds sleeping in dark nest boxes on both nights. Our experimental treatment did not affect sleep behavior. Sleep behavior of birds in the control group did not differ from that of individuals in the light treated group. Our results suggest that during winter cavities shield birds from some effects of ALAN. Furthermore, given that effects of ALAN and exposure to artificial light are species-, sex-, and season-dependent, it is important that studies using wild animals quantify individual exposure to light pollution, and be cautious in the interpretation and generalization of the effects, or lack thereof, from light pollution. Rigorous studies are necessary to examine individual light exposure and its consequences in cavity- and open-nesting birds., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objective: To date, there is little information on how lay people understand and discuss sleep in the context of daily life. Efforts to conceptualize sleep quality have been largely driven by clinical considerations of sleep disorders. As such, they are not necessarily of how normal sleepers without clinical expertise conceptualize sleep quality. A phenomenological approach was taken to understand the essence of the sleep experience and the concepts held by lay people without sleep disorders. A sentence completion questionnaire was developed and administered to a quota sample of 64 respondents who were selected aiming for sufficient representation of different gender, ages, and education levels., Results: Significant sentences and meaningful units were derived inductively, resulting in a classification of nine categories. The major facets of sleep experience of lay people were 'daytime functioning', 'interruptions during the night' and 'before bed state'. This implies that the experienced sleep quality is not only depending on the progress of the night. These results can guide future research to provide suitable psychometric measures for normal sleepers, as well as the design of sleep data visualization applications in the context of health self-monitoring.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of romaine lettuce leaves extract (RE), skullcap root extract (SE) and their mixture on sleep behaviors in vertebrate models. HPLC analysis showed that RE contains lactucopicrin (0.02±0.01 mg/g extract), chlorogenic acid (4.05±0.03 mg/g extract), caffeic acid (2.38±0.03 mg/g extract), and chicoric acid (7.02±0.32 mg/g extract) as main phenolic compounds, while SE includes baicalin (99.4±0.5 mg/g extract), baicalein (8.28±0.21 mg/g extract), and wogonin (3.09±0.32 mg/g extract). The mixture of RE (100 mg/g extract) and SE (40 mg/g extract) increased total sleep time by 50.9% compared with the control in pentobarbital-induced sleep model. In electroencephalography (EEG) analysis, RE/SE mixture significantly increased Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM), in which delta wave was enhanced by around 40% compared with normal control, leading to the increase of sleep time. In caffeine-induced wake model, RE/SE mixture greatly decreased (53%) caffeine-induced wake time, showing a similar level to normal control. In addition, caffeine-induced decreased of NREM and delta wave effectively increased with RE/SE mixture; NREM and delta wave increased by 85% and 108%, respectively. Furthermore, RE/SE mixture was shown to bind to a gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA A )-benzodiazepine (BZD) receptor stronger than RE or SE single extract. Taken together, RE/SE mixture effectively improved sleep behavior with the increase of NREM via GABA A -BZD receptor binding. RE/SE mixture can be used as an herbal agent for sleep disorders.

Objective: This study examined the relationships between diurnal cortisol patterns and sleep behavior, social support, psychological factors, and perceived health status in breast cancer patients., Methods: One hundred and eighty-one breast cancer patients completed a self-report questionnaire that combined the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Yale Social Support Scale, and self-perceived measures of physical health, stress, sleep quality, total sleep hours, and time of awakening. Salivary cortisol was collected upon waking, at 1200h, 1700h, and 2100h on two consecutive days. Multiple regression analysis was performed on the diurnal cortisol slope that was derived from slope analysis of the log-transformed cortisol data., Results: Controlling for the initial cortisol level, a flatter diurnal cortisol slope was significantly associated with a later time of awakening, higher negative social support, poorer perceived health, poorer sleep quality, and shorter total sleep hours. Anxiety and depression were not significantly correlated with the slope., Conclusions: The results indicate a subtle dysregulation in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning in patients with highly negative social support, poor perceived health, poor sleep quality, a later time of awakening, and insufficient sleep hours., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Few data are available on sleep characteristics of elite track-and-field athletes. Our study aimed to assess (1) differences in sleep between sexes and among different track-and-field disciplines, (2) the effect of individualized sleep-hygiene strategies on athletes' sleep parameters, and (3) daytime nap characteristics in track-and-field athletes. Methods: Sleep characteristics of 16 elite Olympic-level track-and-field athletes (male: n = 8; female: n = 8) were assessed during the preseason period, at baseline (T0), and during the in-season period, after the adoption of individualized sleep-hygiene strategies (T1). Sleep parameters were objectively monitored by actigraphy for a minimum of 10 days, for each athlete, at both T0 and T1. A total of 702 nights were analyzed (T0 = 425; T1 = 277). Results: Female athletes displayed better sleep efficiency (88.69 [87.69–89.68] vs 91.72 [90.99–92.45]; P =.003, effect size [ES]: 0.44), lower sleep latency (18.99 [15.97–22.00] vs 6.99 [5.65–8.32]; P <.001, ES: 0.65), higher total sleep time (07:03 [06:56–07:11] vs 07:18 [07:10–07:26]; P =.030, ES: 0.26), earlier bedtime (00:24 [00:16–00:32] vs 00:13 [00:04–00:22]; P =.027, ES: 0.18), and lower nap frequency (P <.001) than male athletes. Long-distance runners had earlier bedtime (00:10 [00:03–00:38] vs 00:36 [00:26–00:46]; P <.001, ES: 0.41) and wake-up time (07:41 [07:36–07:46] vs 08:18 [08:07–08:30]; P <.001, ES: 0.61), higher nap frequency, but lower sleep efficiency (88.79 [87.80–89.77] vs 91.67 [90.95–92.38]; P =.013, ES: 0.44), and longer sleep latency (18.89 [15.94–21.84] vs 6.69 [5.33–8.06]; P <.001, ES: 0.67) than athletes of short-term disciplines. Furthermore, sleep-hygiene strategies had a positive impact on athletes' total sleep time (429.2 [423.5–434.8] vs 451.4 [444.2–458.6]; P <.001, ES: 0.37) and sleep latency (14.33 [12.34–16.32] vs 10.67 [8.66–12.68]; P =.017, ES: 0.19). Conclusions: Sleep quality and quantity were suboptimal at baseline in Olympic-level track-and-field athletes. Large differences were observed in sleep characteristics between sexes and among different track-and-field disciplines. Given the positive effect of individualized sleep-hygiene strategies on athlete's sleep, coaches should implement sleep education sessions in the daily routine of top-level athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electromagnetic radiation (EMR) in the environment, particularly in the microwave range, may constitute a public health concern. Exposure to 2.4 GHz EMR modulated by 100 Hz square pulses was recently reported to markedly increase wakefulness in mice. Here, we demonstrate that a similar wakefulness increase can be induced by the modulation frequency of 1,000 Hz, but not 10 Hz. In contrast to the carrier frequency of 2.4 GHz, 935 MHz EMR of the same power density has little impact on wakefulness irrespective of modulation frequency. Notably, the replacement of the 100 Hz square-pulsed modulation by sinusoidal-pulsed modulation of 2.4 GHz EMR still allows a marked increase of wakefulness. In contrast, continuous sinusoidal amplitude modulation of 100 Hz with the same time-averaged power output fails to trigger any detectable change of wakefulness. Therefore, alteration of sleep behavior by EMR depends upon not just carrier frequency but also frequency and mode of the modulation. These results implicate biological sensing mechanisms for specific EMR in animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lifestyle and habits are acquired in the family environment and then shaped by the potential influence of the environment and received education. In recent years, there has been growing interest in understanding the relationship between sleep and dietary behaviors in various health professionals, including medical and dietetics professionals and students, as well as their self-perceived knowledge and attitudes. Despite the importance of this topic, there is a lack of research on the assessment of individual behaviors in dietetics students and professionals. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of education level on individual behaviors regarding nutrition, sleep, and physical activity in dietetics students and professionals. 71 dietetics students and professionals were enrolled in this study. Their overall knowledge, sleep, and nutritional behavior were assessed with a validated Questionnaire of Eating Behaviors at the beginning of their dietetics university education and then prospectively after a year. It was also compared to dieticians who already graduated. The analysis showed that the educational level did not correlate with sleep length or the physical activity level. However, the educational level was correlated with dietary knowledge and properly self-assessed by the participants. Significant differences were observed in both the prospective and comparative analyses. The educational level and knowledge were not correlated with eating behaviors. The self-assessment of nutritional behaviors also did not correlate with the objective assessment. Sleep length did not correlate with BMI, but it was inversely correlated with overall and healthy diet scores and knowledge levels. On the other hand, physical activity levels were positively correlated with healthy diet scores. Dietary education results in better nutritional knowledge; however, it does not significantly impact individual nutritional behaviors among dietetics students and professionals. Moreover, the inverse relationship between sleep length and nutritional knowledge and behaviors, as well as the positive relationship between physical activity level and dietary behaviors, shows that nutritional aspects of lifestyle are probably prioritized among dietetic students and professionals, with an acknowledgment of the role of physical activity and a neglect of sleep hygiene importance. Dietetics students should be advised to use their theoretical knowledge not only to guide their patients but also to implement it in their own lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lifestyle behaviors are daily habits influenced by social and environmental factors. This study examined lifestyle behaviors and their associations with sociodemographics, comorbidities, and pain in Saudi university students during the academic year 2021 and 2022. All students received the study invitation via university emails to complete an online questionnaire. The questionnaire included four sections (sociodemographics, health-related information, desired health promotion activities, and a lifestyle behavior assessment) via Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP-II). The associations between study variables were assessed using Pearson's correlation and multiple linear regression. The study questionnaire was completed by 1112 students. No correlation was found between sociodemographics and lifestyle-behavior-related factors except for students in the College of Science who appeared to have good lifestyle behaviors (an increase in HPLP II total scores of 3.69). Students with mental health issues have poorer lifestyle behaviors and spend more time sitting (p < 0.00). Students without disabilities have lower scores in health responsibility, physical activity, nutrition, and stress management, while auditory disability specifically lowers health responsibility (p < 0.00). Pain was not associated with any assessed lifestyle behaviors. This study identified several significant correlations and differences between variables such as age, sedentary behavior, sleep duration, disability status, college major, and lifestyle behaviors among PNU students. These findings provide insights into the factors that influence students' health-promoting behaviors and can help guide interventions for promoting healthier lifestyles on campus. Targeted health promotion strategies at an early age could help in decreasing overall noncommunicable disease incidents later in life. The study results should be interpreted taking into consideration that the collected data were cross-sectional and self-reported. In conclusion, the findings of this study clearly demonstrate the need for specific lifestyle and health-promoting programs that are directed toward university students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inadequate sleep has been shown to have detrimental effects on academic performance, physical, mental, and emotional health among adolescents. Factors that influence sleep have been identified. However, most literature is currently limited to urban settings. This study sought to identify factors that influence sleep habits among high school students in a semi‐rural community. Methods: Twelve focus groups were conducted in‐person with separate groups of students, parents, and school staff in October 2019. Discussions focused on sleep experiences, knowledge, environment, and factors influencing sleep. Data were coded using grounded theory approach. Themes were identified through summative content analysis. Results: Four major themes were identified: (1) inadequate sleep adversely affects academic performance and emotional health; (2) students face a gap in knowledge regarding sleep duration; (3) academic and nonacademic activities compete with sleep needs; and (4) night‐time use of technology negatively influences sleep habits. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that high school students do not get adequate sleep, largely due to the demands of academic and extracurricular activities and the use of electronics at night. These results can guide the development of targeted sleep education and intervention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improved sleep hygiene is postulated to be protective against burnout. Previous studies assessing a potential association between poor sleep quality and burnout showed incongruent results. To investigate the relationship between sleep quality and burnout. Setting and Participants: A survey was conducted in a large health care cluster in Singapore and included health care staff from different professions (N = 4777). The Maslach Burnout Inventory – Human Services Survey was used to measure burnout across 3 sub-scales: Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization and Personal Accomplishment, while the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to gauge the participants' sleep quality. Multi-variable general linear model ANOVA was used for correlation analysis. There is a strong correlation between sleep quality and all 3 burnout sub-scales. PSQI is associated with Emotional Exhaustion (F value = 90.65, P-value <.0001), Depersonalization (F value = 49.46, P-value <.0001) and Personal Accomplishment (F value = 12.29, P-value <.0001). PSQI shows a significant linear upward trend with Emotional Exhaustion (linear contrast = 957.06, P-value <.0001) and with Depersonalization (linear contrast = 521.92, P-value <.0001). With Personal Accomplishment, PSQI shows a significant linear downward trend (linear contrast = 123.61, P-value <.0001). Poor sleep quality is progressively and linearly associated with burnout and its 3 sub-scales. Future studies that evaluate interventions which improve sleep quality among health care workers may be useful in reducing burnout and improving patient care. • This is the largest survey on sleep quality and burnout in Southeast Asia, thus far on health care workers. • Burnout has 3 sub-scales: Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization and Personal Accomplishment. • Poor sleep quality is progressively and linearly associated with all 3 burnout sub-scales. • Future studies on interventions to improve sleep quality and burnout among health care workers may help decrease burnout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic caused strong restrictions in organized sports. Specifically, adolescent athletes, whose daily routine is usually determined by school and practice schedules, experienced a sudden lifestyle change. The aim of this study was to examine sleep and training patterns of German elite adolescent basketball players (N = 115, 15.70 ± 1.22 years, female = 32.17%) during different phases of the 2021 lockdown. Sleep and training behavior were documented by a subjective monitoring over 10 days at three different lockdown phases in February, April, and June/July. A linear mixed model approach was conducted for the statistical analyses. Sleep duration and time in bed decreased between phase 1 (prohibition of organized sports) and phase 3 (normal training conditions), while sleep efficiency and quality increased. There was no change in training duration over time, but in training intensity, which peaked in the third phase. This study contains meaningful evidence to analyze the lockdown-related return to practice process. Athletes were able to maintain training duration with alternative protocols during pandemic conditions. Interestingly, athletes slept less under non-lockdown conditions, but reported a better sleep quality. It is recommended to consider athletes' individual preferences when planning training and recovery schedules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social restrictions during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic have impacted sleep behavior and sleep problems, and their related daytime functioning in young adults. However, no studies have examined such changes in young individuals from countries with mild infection intensity and social restrictions. Therefore, we focused on sleep behaviors and sleep issues in young people in Japan. This study was conducted before and after the pandemic (October 2019 and May 2020, respectively). In total, 2,222 (1,371 students and 851 workers) individuals participated and completed anonymous Web-based questionnaires concerning demographic characteristics, sleep behaviors, sleep problems using the Japanese version of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (JESS) and the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS-J), psychological distress using the Japanese version of the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) evaluated with the Short Form-8 (SF-8). A significantly delayed sleep phase was observed in the second survey compared to the first (p <.001) and was more pronounced in students than in workers (p <.001). The total sleep time, social jetlag degree, and JESS, AIS-J, and SF-8 scores were significantly improved after the pandemic (p <.001, p <.001, p <.001, p <.001, p <.05, and p <.001, respectively). Careful monitoring of whether these modest changes can lead to adjustment concerns is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study seeks to delineate the effects of family context during adolescence, namely family structure, parent-child relationship, and parental monitoring, and their longitudinal associations with sleep behaviors during young adulthood, with a focus on a possible moderating effect of leaving home transition. Methods: Data were retrieved from the Taiwan Youth Project (TYP) (N=2,123, and consisted of a two-cohort sample from 12th grade at school up to an age of around 20 years, these cohorts consisted of a 7th-grade one from 2005 to 2007 and a 9th-grade one from 2003 to 2004). Sleep duration (short, recommended [7h-9h], and long) was analyzed by multinomial logistic regression, while insomnia symptoms were analyzed by negative binomial regression. Results: Youth living in a one-parent family during adolescence had an increased risk of long sleep duration during young adulthood (Relative Risk Ratio [RRR] 1.52, 95% CI 1.02- 2.25); whereas those with a more positive relationship with parents, or receiving more parental monitoring, were less likely to experience short sleep duration (RRR 0.75 95% CI 0.61-0.92; RRR 0.91, 95% CI 0.85-0.97). Moreover, youth with a more positive parent-child relationship were also found to be at lower risk of insomnia symptoms (Incidence Rate Ratio [IRR] 0.90, 95% CI 0.83-0.98). Furthermore, when the sample was restricted to those who had left home during young adulthood, the effects of a positive parent-child relationship and parental monitoring remain significant and had the same effect on the various sleep behaviors. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the importance of family context and its longitudinal association with sleep behaviors. To prevent an unrecommended sleep duration and the development of insomnia symptoms during young adulthood, early intervention that targets parent-child relationships and parental monitoring are suggested as a priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to identify determinants of objectively-estimated bedtime habits and to determine if these bedtime habits differed between adults with and without type 2 diabetes. Adults with accelerometry data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2004 and 2005-2006 cohorts were classified as having no diabetes or type 2 diabetes and matched for age, gender, and BMI across the two groups. Multivariate linear regression models assessed bedtime habits (time-in-bed, early versus late bedtime periods, regularity), chronotype (mid-points), and type 2 diabetes status. While the results indicated no differences in bedtime habits between adults with and without type 2 diabetes, an interesting finding was the support for an association between objectively-estimated earlier bedtime midpoints and greater physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sleep behavior remains one of the most enigmatic areas of life. The unanswered questions range from "why do we sleep?" to "how we can improve sleep in today's society?" Identification of mutations responsible for altered circadian regulation of human sleep lead to unique opportunities for probing these territories. In this review, we summarize causative circadian mutations found from familial genetic studies to date. We also describe how these mutations mechanistically affect circadian function and lead to altered sleep behaviors, including shifted or shortening of sleep patterns. In addition, we discuss how the investigation of mutations can not only expand our understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating the circadian clock and sleep duration, but also bridge the pathways between clock/sleep and other human physiological conditions and ailments such as metabolic regulation and migraine headaches.

Objective: Athlete sleep behavior questionnaire (ASBQ) is a new, valid and reliable questionnaire for evaluating the sleep behaviors of elite athletes. The main objective of the current study was to provide evidence for the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the ASBQ (ASBQ-TR). Materials and Methods: Ninety-seven athletes and eighty-three nonathletes were included in the current study and asked to complete the 18-item ASBQ-TR. A sub-group of athletes (n=50) completed the ASBQ-TR twice, 7 days apart. The ASBQ was translated into English twice and then back-translated to Turkish after the permission of the author was received. Test-retest reliability and internal consistency were performed via intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach's alpha, respectively. Results: There was a significant difference between the athlete and non-athlete groups in ASBQ-TR total score (38.4 and 36.2 respectively, p<0.05). Test-retest reliability of the questionnaire was acceptable (ICC=0.85). The factor loadings of ASBQ-TR were between 0.41 and 0.82. One of the 18-items of the questionnaire was removed due to the factor loading (below 0.40). Conclusion: The ASBQ-TR is a 17-item valid and reliable tool that can be used to identify sleep challenges that athletes face. The ASBQ-TR can be used as a practical tool for researchers and coaches evaluating the sleep behaviors of elite athletes. This tool may also be used to examine the sleep behavior differences among sports with different recovery needs and training loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sleep is an essential need of humankind; it is necessary for quality of life and health at all ages. Poor sleep quality is closely associated with lifestyle habits including Internet use. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between sleep quality and the level of Internet addiction among students at King Abdulaziz University (KAU). Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study carried out on July 2017 among 511 students aged 18-25 years enrolled at KAU in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to evaluate sleep quality and habits, and Young's Internet Addiction Test was used to assess Internet addiction among students. Frequencies, chi-square, Pearson's correlation coefficient and multivariate analysis were used in data analysis. Results: A total of 511 students participated; 350 (68.5%) were women. Poor sleep quality was found in 54.4% of the participants, whereas Internet addiction was found to be mild in 42.3%, moderate in 29.9%, and severe in 1.8%. A significant correlation was found between sleep quality and Internet addiction (p = .00). Other significant associations linked the quality of sleep to smoking and caffeine consumption. Conclusion: Sleep problems and poor sleep quality among KAU students were related to high Internet use. Further studies are needed to fully understand the factors that affect sleep behavior and Internet addiction among university students in Jeddah. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I discuss the relationship between bodily experiences in dreams and the sleeping, physical body. I question the popular view that dreaming is a naturally and frequently occurring real-world example of cranial envatment. This view states that dreams are functionally disembodied states: in a majority of dreams, phenomenal experience, including the phenomenology of embodied selfhood, unfolds completely independently of external and peripheral stimuli and outward movement. I advance an alternative and more empirically plausible view of dreams as weakly phenomenally-functionally embodied states. The view predicts that bodily experiences in dreams can be placed on a continuum with bodily illusions in wakefulness. It also acknowledges that there is a high degree of variation across dreams and different sleep stages in the degree of causal coupling between dream imagery, sensory input, and outward motor activity. Furthermore, I use the example of movement sensations in dreams and their relation to outward muscular activity to develop a predictive processing account. I propose that movement sensations in dreams are associated with a basic and developmentally early kind of bodily self-sampling. This account, which affords a central role to active inference, can then be broadened to explain other aspects of self- and world-simulation in dreams. Dreams are world-simulations centered on the self, and important aspects of both self- and world-simulation in dreams are closely linked to bodily self-sampling, including muscular activity, illusory own-body perception, and vestibular orienting in sleep. This is consistent with cognitive accounts of dream generation, in which long-term beliefs and expectations, as well as waking concerns and memories play an important role. What I add to this picture is an emphasis on the real-body basis of dream imagery. This offers a novel perspective on the formation of dream imagery and suggests new lines of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children often experience better and worse days when performing cognitive tasks. Whether such fluctuations are systematic and how they are linked to fluctuations at faster time scales within days is less clear. To fill these gaps, we probed N = 108 fifth graders on WM tasks twice daily in morning and afternoon sessions, and also assessed nightly sleep behavior, over a period of four weeks using ambulatory assessment. Children systematically fluctuated in their recall of visuospatial and numerical information in WM across multiple time scales. These fluctuations showed consistencies but also discrepancies among each other. Especially, fast variability of memory precision across moments was related to load and fluid intelligence. Daily WM accuracy was positively coupled to sleep quality, but only in a subset of children with larger daily WM fluctuations. We propose that short-term WM fluctuations and their couplings to other time-varying constructs could help to explain long-term cognitive development. • Children show systematic intra-individual working memory (WM) fluctuations. • WM load particularly affected the rapid item-to-item variability of recall precision. • Lower momentary recall variability was linked to higher levels in fluid intelligence. • Nightly sleep quality predicted higher daily WM accuracy, but only in a subset of children. • These dynamics emphasize a nuanced distinction of faster and slower WM variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the association of sleep duration and sleep disorder with red blood cell distribution width (RDW). Methods: Data from the 2005- 2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used, including 17,621 adults. A questionnaire was used to assess sleep duration and sleep disorder, with a blood sample used to assess RDW. Results: Compared to persons getting 7-8 hours/night of sleep, those getting 5, 9, and ≥ 10 hours/night respectively had a 23%, 29%, and 67% increased odds of having an elevated RDW (p < .05 for all odds ratios). Participants with a physician-diagnosed sleep disorder had a higher RDW (β = 0.08; p = .04). Conclusions: Sleep duration and sleep disorder are associated with elevated RDW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]