Mechanisms underlying the association between anxiety and sleep architecture in healthy good sleepers: the role of pre-sleep arousal [abstract]

Barclay, Nicola, Elder, Greg J., Sharman, Rachel, Sanchez, Alejandro and Ellis, Jason (2014) Mechanisms underlying the association between anxiety and sleep architecture in healthy good sleepers: the role of pre-sleep arousal [abstract]. Journal of Sleep Research, 23 (S1). p. 159. ISSN 0962 1105

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Abstract

Objectives: Whilst clinically significant sleep disturbances are often comorbid with anxiety disorders, less extreme sleep disturbances are also associated with anxiety in the general population. However, understanding of the mechanism underlying this association is unclear. Associations between sleep architecture and anxiety, and the extent to which these associations were mediated by pre-sleep arousal, were examined in healthy, good sleepers.
Methods: Eighty five healthy, good sleepers (50.1% female; Age: M = 26.8 years, SD = 10.3 years) completed a 2-night in-lab polysomnographic study, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Pre-Sleep Arousal Scale. Hierarchical linear regressions were performed to examine mediation models.
Results: Both increased anxiety and pre-sleep arousal were associated with decreased time in N1 (% of total sleep time) (r = - 0.25,P < 0.05; and r = - 0.29, P < 0.01, respectively); but increased time in REM (% of total sleep time) (r = 0.21, P = 0.05; and r = 0.24,P < 0.05, respectively). Hierarchical linear regressions indicated that these associations were reduced to non-significance in the presence of pre-sleep arousal.
Conclusions: Individuals with higher levels of state anxiety appear to spend more time in REM at the expense of stage 1 sleep –relationships which are mediated by heightened arousal. Such individuals may exhibit a greater REM requirement; or heightened arousal may continue throughout the night, manifesting in increased REM sleep. Decreased stage 1 sleep may thus be an artefact of subsequent increased REM. Alternatively; such individuals may exhibit more discrete transitions from wake to sleep, to some extent bypassing stage 1 sleep. Further analyses aim to determine whether such arousal is somatic, cognitive or cortical.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Abstracts of the 22nd Congress of the European Sleep Research Society, 16–20 September 2014, Tallinn, Estonia
Subjects:	C800 Psychology
Department:	Faculties > Health and Life Sciences > Psychology
Depositing User:	Becky Skoyles
Date Deposited:	26 Mar 2015 11:02
Last Modified:	30 Nov 2021 17:42
URI:	https://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/21795

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