sleep

Posted on Fibromyalgia

Insomnia therapy may slow or reverse cortical gray matter atrophy in fibromyalgia

 

CAPTION

Preliminary findings from a pilot study suggest that cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) may slow or even reverse the atrophy of cortical gray matter in patients who have co-morbid fibromyalgia.

CREDIT

Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine

Preliminary findings from a pilot study suggest that cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) may slow or even reverse the atrophy of cortical gray matter in patients who have co-morbid fibromyalgia.

Results suggest that eight weeks of CBT-I can alter central nervous system structure in patients with fibromyalgia and insomnia. Individuals who received CBT-I demonstrated increases in cortical thickness following treatment, while individuals in a control group showed thinning of the cortex relative to baseline. Surprisingly, cognitive behavioral therapy for pain (CBT-P) failed to produce similar results as CBT-I.

“Our preliminary results suggest that while CBT-P seemed to merely reduce cortical atrophy, CBT-I produced increases in cortical thickness following treatment,” said principal investigator Christina McCrae, PhD, professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of Missouri and director of the MizZzou Sleep Research Lab.

The study results are published in the Sept. 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

According to the authors, insomnia frequently occurs together with fibromyalgia. The Cognitive Activation Theory of Stress (CATS) posits that complaints such as pain and fatigue may result from a shared underlying psychobiological sensitization. Research using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) also has demonstrated that fibromyalgia is associated with atrophy of cortical gray matter in certain brain regions.

This analysis used data from a larger clinical trial investigating the efficacy of CBT-I and CBT-P for fibromyalgia and chronic insomnia. From 2009 to 2012, participants were recruited from the community for the parent study, and a subset of participants also underwent MRI before and after eight weeks of treatment.

Thirty-seven patients were randomly assigned to CBT-I, CBT-P or a waiting list control group. Both interventions consisted of eight weekly, 50-minute individualized sessions with a trained therapist.

CBT-I consisted of sleep hygiene education, stimulus control, autogenic relaxation, sleep restriction, and cognitive therapy. CBT-P included pain education, progressive muscle relaxation, adaptive techniques for pacing activity, visual imagery relaxation, and cognitive restructuring.

The authors noted that these preliminary findings have clinical implications for people who have fibromyalgia.

“Demonstration that CBT-I, a relatively brief intervention, can reverse or resolve pain-related, maladaptive neural plasticity has important implications for chronic pain sufferers,” McCrae said.

McCrae recently received a new research grant from the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) to study the treatment of chronic pain using CBT-I. The trial will explore McCrae’s idea that improving sleep in women with fibromyalgia will also improve their pain by promoting positive changes in how the brain processes and responds to pain.

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This research was supported by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (R01AR055160 and R01AR055160-S1; McCrae, PI; Robinson, Co-PI).

To request a copy of the study, “Gray Matter Changes Following Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Patients With Comorbid Fibromyalgia and Insomnia: A Pilot Study,” or to arrange an interview with the study author or an AASM spokesperson, please contact Communications Coordinator Corinne Lederhouse at 630-737-9700, ext. 9366, or clederhouse@aasm.org.

 

Posted on Sleep disorders

Are you heading for sleep problems? What are the warning signs?

Sleep worries

The ability to sleep soundly varies from person to person. Often, the cause of our sleeplessness is the person we share a bed with. You might be in love, married and get on like a house on fire with your partner during the day, but when it’s time to call it a night, they could be driving you mad.

More and more couples are reaching their limit and opting for a ‘sleep divorce’ to ensure they’re getting enough sleep. When it’s time to turn in, they head to separate beds. We surveyed the British public to see what annoying habits from their partner were interrupting their sleep. Here are our key findings:

27% of Brits are kept awake every night by their partner’s bad bedtime habits

1/2 of our respondents ranked snoring as the main cause of nighttime tension with 25% citing it as the most common cause of arguments with their partner

After 11 years together, 66% of people would consider sleeping in separate beds

42% of Brits are getting less than the recommended 7 hours of sleep per night

1/3 of respondents don’t go to bed at the same time as their partner

Find out what’s keeping people up at night below and see if you have grounds for a sleep divorce with our compatibility test.

Sleep habits

The UK’s bad sleeping habits

There are plenty of bad sleep habits keeping Brits awake. These range from the dreaded snorer to those who fill the room with light and sound from their mobile devices. Let’s take a look at how gender affects people’s opinion of these behaviours:

With all these bad habits to contend with, it’s no wonder almost 1/4 of respondents would consider sleeping in a separate bed to their partner for a good night’s sleep.

Our research has found that men complain more about people eating in bed, going on their mobile device and hogging the duvet. Women are more likely to be annoyed by partners that snore and talk in their sleep.

Half of our respondents ranked snoring as the main cause of bedtime tension. This is unsurprising as 25% of people surveyed cited it as the most common reason for arguments with their partner. In fact, it is almost on par with rows caused by people’s love-life (26.8%). The results have highlighted the importance of good sleeping etiquette in relationships.

The 11-year itch: when couples file for sleep divorce

Now that we know that bedrooms in the UK aren’t the restful oasis we all crave come bedtime, how long do people stick it out before suggesting they go their separate ways to slumber?

Over 1/3 of respondents don’t go to bed at the same time as their partner. This can lead to incompatibility with each other’s sleep cycles – especially over an extended period of time.

According to our survey, 11 years of this is when people reach their limit. 2/3 of respondents classed this as the point when sleep divorce becomes a real possibility.

The negative health effects caused by inconsiderate sleeping partners

A shocking 42% of Brits are getting less than the recommended 7 hours of sleep per night. This is supported by research from the British Sleep Council. They found that people in the UK sleep an average of just 6 hours and 35 minutes per night.

Our survey results show that this can be directly traced to the annoying habits of their partners. While it may seem more like an inconvenience than a relationship deal breaker to share a bed with someone that exhibits one or more of these aggravating behaviours, it can become a serious problem.

27% of Brits are kept awake by their partner’s annoying sleep habits every single night. 28% suffer from these issues at least once a week. This can negatively affect everything from mental health to work performance, all because of an inconsiderate bunkmate.

Problems caused by lack of sleep

Weight gain: If you’re not getting the right amount of shuteye, the chemicals that signal when you’re full don’t function properly. This leaves you more likely to overindulge – even when you’ve eaten enough.

Low sex drive: A lack of sleep affects libido in both men and women. Males are believed to suffer a drop in their testosterone levels if they don’t get enough nightly rest.

Memory issues: Sleep helps your brain form connections to help you remember and process new information. If you’re missing out, it can impact your short and long-term memory.

Mood swings: If you’re sleep deprived, it can lead to rapid changes in your mood, making you emotional and quick-tempered. When this isn’t addressed, it can lead to more serious conditions such as anxiety and depression.

Trouble concentrating and poor balance: Your concentration, problem-solving skills and balance rely on your brain being fully rested. If you frequently don’t get enough sleep, you increase the risk of being involved in accidents.

Weakened immune system: When you don’t get the rest you need; your immunity is lowered against viruses like flu and the common cold. This increases the likelihood of you getting ill.

High blood pressure and heart disease: People who sleep less than five hours a night risk raising their blood pressure. If left unchecked, this can cause internal inflammation and lead to serious conditions such as heart disease.

Increased risk of diabetes: Sleep affects the way your body releases insulin. Those who aren’t getting the correct amount of sleep have higher blood sugar levels. They also have a greater risk of contracting type 2 diabetes.

Sleep Divorce

 

Do you have grounds for sleep divorce?

If your partner displays one or more of the bad habits described above, it could be the case that you’re on the slippery slope towards a sleep divorce. When your physical and mental health, not to mention the relationship itself could be at stake – it’s worth finding out whether or not you would benefit from separate sleeping arrangements.

Take our sleep compatibility test to see if you’re living in ‘sleep harmony’, require ‘sleep counselling’ or have ‘grounds for sleep divorce’.

For more information on the importance of a good night’s sleep, what’s keeping Brits awake at night and how work can affect your ability to relax – visit the Mattress Online blog.

Posted on Children's health

More sleep and limiting screen time may improve children’s mental abilities

"Limiting children's screen time linked to better cognition," reports BBC News.

“Limiting children’s screen time linked to better cognition,” reports BBC News.

“Limiting children’s screen time linked to better cognition,” reports BBC News.

A study of 4,524 children in the US found those who used screens recreationally for less than 2 hours a day did better on tests of mental functioning.

The study was designed to assess whether Canadian recommendations on screen time, sleep and physical activity for children aged 8 to 11 were linked to better mental function, which was assessed using a series of tests.

The recommendations are:

restrict screen time (including TV, smartphones, tablets and video games) to less than 2 hours a day

sleep 9 to 11 hours a night

do at least 1 hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day

The children who did best on testing were those who followed all 3 recommendations.

But only 5% of children met all 3 recommendations, which could reduce the strength of the association.

And we can’t be sure that meeting the recommendations was the cause of the improved test performance.

Screen time and sleep accounted for around 22% of the variation between test results, while physical activity alone didn’t seem to be linked to mental functioning.

Other differences, such as children’s school grade and ethnic background, were also strongly linked to test results.

The researchers say parents should consider limiting screen time and ensuring adequate regular sleep for children, as well as encouraging physical activity.

UK guidelines on screen time and sleep for children are expected to be published in 2019.

Where did the story come from?

The study was carried out by researchers from the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, the University of Ottawa and Carleton University, all in Canada.

It was funded by the US National Institutes of Health.

The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health.

UK media reports were reasonably balanced. Most included warnings that the observational nature of the study means we can’t be sure that screen time is directly linked to cognitive function.

The Sun and The Times ignored this by both reporting that limiting screen time “boosts brains”.

What kind of research was this?

This was a cross-sectional observational study. These types of studies are fine when researchers are looking for links between factors (such as screen time and mental function).

But cross-sectional studies can’t show that one thing causes another. That’s because they look at just one point in time, so can’t account for changes in brain function or variability in factors like screen time. Also, other factors could influence the results.

What did the research involve?

Researchers used baseline data from a study of US children that began in 2016.

Children from 21 study sites across the US were invited to take part in cognitive tests.

Children and parents also filled out a series of questionnaires about the child’s lifestyle.

For this study, researchers looked at answers to questions about:

physical activity (how many days in the past week they did at least 1 hour of exercise)

how many hours they typically spent each day on screen-related leisure activities such as watching TV, playing video games or using social media

how many hours on average they slept each night (this question was answered by parents)

Researchers adjusted their figures to take account of some potential confounding factors known to affect cognitive test results:

household income

parent and child education level

ethnic background

body mass index (BMI)

head injury

What were the basic results?

Researchers found only 5% of children studied met all 3 recommendations.

Children did an hour of physical activity on average 3.7 days a week, used screens on average 3.6 hours a day and slept for an average 9.1 hours a night.

Just over half of children met the sleep recommendations, while 37% met the screen time recommendation and only 18% met the physical activity recommendations.

Children who met all 3 recommendations scored highest on the cognitive tests.

These higher test results seemed most strongly associated with meeting screen time recommendations alone, or a combination of screen time and sleep recommendations.

Meeting the physical activity recommendations alone didn’t seem to be linked to cognition test performance.

How did the researchers interpret the results?

The researchers said: “These findings highlight the importance of limiting recreational screen time and encouraging healthy sleep to improve cognition in children.”

They say doctors, parents, teachers and policymakers “should promote limiting recreational screen time and prioritising healthy sleep routines throughout childhood and adolescence”.

Conclusion

The suggestion that children should have limited screen time, enough sleep and plenty of physical activity isn’t particularly controversial.

This study adds to evidence that these might be sensible lifestyle adaptations for children.

But this type of study can’t prove that any one of these is directly responsible for children’s mental abilities.

The study has other limitations. These include:

It looks at just one snapshot in time, so we can’t tell whether children’s activities or abilities changed over time.

Children self-reported their time spent on physical activity and screen-based activity, which may not have been accurate and possibly prone to both under- and overestimating.

While the researchers tried to adjust for the effects of other confounding factors, it’s impossible to account for them all as so many things affect cognitive functioning.

It’s interesting that the study found the strongest link with sleep and screen time combined.

It’s possible that overuse of devices like mobile phones at night could be affecting children’s sleep, rather than the screen time directly affecting mental functioning.

What’s perhaps more interesting is how few children met all the recommendations.

Even the recommendation that children aged 8 to 11 should have 9 to 11 hours sleep a night was only met by 51% of children, while only 18% of children met the recommendation of an hour a day of physical activity.

While the study doesn’t give us definitive answers about the effects of screen time, it does provide further evidence to suggest that adequate sleep and limited screen time may improve mental function.

Similarly, frequent physical activity improves physical and mental health.

Analysis by Bazian
Edited by NHS Website

Posted on Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis and Sleep: Top Tips to Improve your snooze!

MS and sleep

MS and sleep

Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of MS. Poor sleep is a major contributor to fatigue amongst many people with MS. Improving sleep quality (and quantity!) can help improve fatigue, along with many other symptoms.

Here, Dr. B discusses “tips and tricks” that help improve our sleep quality and quantity. These suggestions take practice, however, as you’ll be teaching your body to approach sleep, and the bed, differently.

A few examples: the bed is only for 2 activities, sleep and sex. No watching TV, eating, reading, playing on your phone, surfing the internet, or worrying about your day.

If you are not asleep in bed after 20 minutes you need to EXIT your bed until you might feel tired again.