Mean Sleep Scores Research Articles

Sleep Quality in School-Aged Children: The Role of Environmental Factors and Screen Time

Sleep plays a vital role in the optimal functioning of our body and is crucial for overall well-being. However, many parents are unaware of the negative consequences of sleep deprivation in children. This study examines factors affecting sleep in children and their correlation with screen time. The aim is to evaluate the relationship between screen time and environmental factors impacting sleep quality among school-aged children.A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on children aged 6 to 12 years. Sleep quality was assessed using a 22-item, pre-validated, parent-administered Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ). Contributing factors, including a screen time questionnaire, were gathered from parents. Children with pre-existing sleep disorders, neurobehavioral disorders, and chronic illnesses were excluded. A CSHQ score above 41 was considered abnormal, indicating a sleep problem. Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test with SPSS version 20.0.In this study, 40.3% of children experienced sleep disturbances. The total mean sleep score was 39.56 ± 14.84, with private school children showing greater disruptions (41.78 ± 12.96) compared to public school children (37.14 ± 16.33; p = 0.001). Significant correlations were found between sleep quality, screen time exposure, and environmental factors such as lower socio-economic status, bed sharing, and room sharing.This study highlights that both excessive screen time and adverse environmental conditions negatively impact children's sleep quality. Efforts to increase awareness among parents, educators, and healthcare providers are needed to reduce sleep disturbances.

Obesity, beverage consumption and sleep patterns in rural African women in relation to advertising of these beverages.

The burden of obesity-related, non-communicable diseases in South Africa is persistent, with poor and black South African women particularly vulnerable. The purpose of the present study was to determine relationships between obesity, physical activity, sleep patterns and beverage consumption among black South African women in a rural village in the Limpopo province. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 rural-dwelling African women. Data were collected on beverage consumption, sociodemographic information, sleep patterns and anthropometry using self-reported questionnaires. The mean body mass index (BMI) was 28.5±7.3kg/m2, with 40% being classified as obese (BMI ≥30kg/m2) and the mean sleep score was 4.68±2.51. Participants with very bad habitual sleeping patterns consumed significantly more sugar-sweetened beverages and alcohol than those with very good sleeping patterns. We also observed that when total coffee with sugar, fruit juice, total sugar-sweetened beverages and weight decreased the number of hours participants slept increased. The study identified significant associations between body weight, sleep duration and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption among rural black South African women. This underscores a need to address unhealthy lifestyle behaviours to lower incidences of non-communicable diseases in rural-dwelling women.

DOES MOTOR PROFICIENCY INFLUENCE SLEEP, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND MENTAL WELLBEING IN AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN?

INTRODUCTION Motor impairments such as poor timing, balance, sequencing, and dexterity often impact on the child’s quality of life, both physically and emotionally. Sleep and physical activity are modifiable behaviours that have a bi-directional association with mental health outcomes. However, there is very limited research on sleep in children with motor difficulties. The aim of this study is to examine if level of motor proficiency influences physical activity, sleep behaviour, and mental well-being. METHODS Children aged between 6 and 12 years attended one ∼90-minute testing session where they completed the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC; 2nd edition), the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD; 3rd edition), and a brief physical activity assessment. Questionnaire were completed by the children and parents (Adolescents Motor Competence Questionnaire (AMCQ), Short Moods and Feelings, Kids Screen, Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire, Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ). RESULTS Currently, 15 children (9 males, mean age 9.2 ± 1.97 yrs) have completed the study. Preliminary results show a mean TGMD index of 104.93 ±1.97, suggesting motor skills performed to an average level. The MABC percentile rank was 56.93 ±27.05, one participant below 5th percentile (motor impairment). AMCQ mean 87.00±8.9, however four participants had perceived low motor competence. Interestingly mean sleep score suggests high sleep disturbance among the sample (CSHQ mean 42.33 ± 9.73) with 9 out of 15 participants identifying with a paediatric sleep disorder (three low motor competence and six high motor competence has a paediatric sleep disorder). CONCLUSION Results indicate some interesting findings with both high and low motor competence children demonstrating a sleep disorder. Further analysis looking at actigraph sleep data, sleep diary and physical activity collected over 7 days will be presented during the conference.

A Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Slow Back Massage on Quality of Sleep among Patients in Selected Government Hospitals, Daman

Sleep is the natural state of rest and that observed throughout the animal kingdom including mammals and birds and, in many reptiles, also amphibians and fish.in humans, other mammals and many other animals that have been studies -such as fish, birds, ants, and fruit-flies- regular sleep in necessary for survival. the capability for arousal from sleep is a protective mechanism and also necessary for health and survival.1 Sleep can also defined that normal state of altered consciousness during time of body rests; it is characterized by decreased responsiveness to the environments, and a person can be aroused from it by external stimuli.1Slow -stroke back massage, uses this slow stroke. Slow Back was introduced within a hospital context by Elizabeth in 1996 as slow, gentle, and rhythmic hand movements on the patients back as the steady speed (about 60 movements per minute), with mild and gentle pressure, for 10 minutes.3Back massage care provided those who are admitted in the Hospitals by using various techniques of back massage like Effleurage, petrissage, friction, tapotement by using these techniques to improvement in the blood flow and also to relieve the deeper muscle tension and clear out toxins.5 THE OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY WERE TO- 1. assess the pre-test and post-test level on quality of sleep of slow back massage among patients admitted in selected government Hospitals, Daman 2. determine the effectiveness of slow back massage on quality of sleep among patients admitted in selected government Hospitals, Daman. 3. find out the association between the pre-test level on quality of sleep among patients with selected demographic variables in patients in selected Government Hospitals, Daman. METHODOLOGY: A Quantitative Research approach with pre-experimental, one-group pre-test post- test Research design was adopted for the study. A total 40 sample were selected in Government hospitals, Daman based on selection criteria.in this research study consecutive sampling technique was used. Data was collected by using demographic variables and the Groningen sleep quality scale for assessment of quality sleep before and after the intervention of slow back massage. RESULT: The present study assesses the effectiveness of slow back massage in terms of improvement of quality sleep among patients. The post-test mean sleep score 2.65(SD=2.007) was less than pre-test mean sleep score 11.95 (SD=1.934) and ‘t’ value was 15.353(t0.05, 39=2.02) which was the significant effect of the slow back massage (p<0.05) and there is significant mean difference between the pre-test and post-test.the mean difference between the pre-test and post-test was 9.300.the chi-square calculated value shows there was no significant association with demographic variable. INTERPRETATION: Statistical significance was calculated by using paired t -test and chi-square. After slow back massage the quality of sleep has improved among patients. The findings of the study indicated the need of hospital to use the slow back massage to improvement the quality of sleep. This conclude that the non-pharmacological therapy such a slow back massage has significant impact in improvement the quality of sleep. KEY WORDS: slow back, Massage, quality sleep, patients.

Abstract P231: Are Resiliency and Religiosity/Spirituality Associated With Better Sleep Outcomes in Midlife Latinas?

Background: The disproportionate cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden among Latinas is not completely explained. An important health behavior in CVD prevention is sleep. In the United States (U.S.), Latinas experience unique sociocultural stressors that may impact sleep, particularly in midlife. Yet, little is known about protective factors such as resiliency and religiosity/spirituality among midlife Latinas. Aims: To assess the relation of resiliency and religiosity/spirituality with sleep disturbances in midlife Latinas. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using baseline data from 49 participants in a pilot study to reduce CVD risk in midlife Latinas. Participants were Latinas aged 40-60 years who were perimenopausal or early postmenopausal, free of CVD, with no menopause hormone therapy use in the prior three months. Women were recruited from community settings. The frequency of sleep disturbances (trouble falling asleep, waking early, or nocturnal awakenings) over the past two weeks was assessed, and a sum score was created (0-16). The 6-item Brief Resilience Scale was used to assess the perceived ability to “bounce back” or recover from hardship. Religiosity/spirituality was determined by self-report (how important is religion/spirituality to you). Multivariable linear regression models were performed at p<0.15, adjusting for sociodemographic. Results: Participants were on average aged 47.1±4.5 years, 47% had less than a high school education, and 98% were born outside of the continental U.S. Sixty-nine percent of women experienced trouble falling asleep. The mean sleep score was 6.9±4.6. In adjusted models, we found an inverse relationship between resiliency and sleep (ß[SE]= -0.33[0.13],p=0.01). Religiosity/spirituality was not related to sleep disturbances (ß[SE]= 1.15[1.60],p=0.48). Conclusions: In this analysis of midlife Latinas, higher resiliency was associated with poorer sleep. Findings suggest that the ability to “bounce back” after hardship and religiosity/spirituality may not buffer the negative impact of stress on sleep. Further research is necessary with objective sleep measures to identify protective factors for sleep disturbances that may subsequently improve CVD risk in midlife Latinas.

Findings on Sleep of Children with Cerebral Palsy and Their Mothers' Sleep and Emotional Intelligence

Objective: This study was aimed to (i) sleep characteristics of children with cerebral palsy (CP), and sleep and emotional intelligence results of their mothers, and (ii) explore the relationship these parameters both with each other and with demographic characteristics of children and their mothers. Methods: Thirty-three children with CP and their mothers were included this study. Functional level of children was evaluated with Gross Motor Function Classification Scale (GMFCS) while sleep parameters with Child Sleep Habits Questionnaire-Abbreviated Form (CSHQ-AF). Sleep quality and emotional intelligence of mothers was evaluated by The Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Revised Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale (RSEI), successively. Results: The highest percentage of children with CP participating in the study was at level 3 (GMFCS) with 24.24%. Mean sleep score of children with CP according to CSHQ-AF was 50.33 (SD: 9.38) points. Twenty-nine (87.9%) of children with CP had pediatric sleep problem while 51.5% of mothers had poor sleep quality. RSEI total score of mothers was 149.54 (SD: 16.94). No relationship was found between sleep and emotional intelligence of mothers with sleep of children with CP (p>0.05). Conclusion: The rate of sleep problems was found to be higher in children with CP compared to their mothers as expected. The lack of relationship between sleep and emotional intelligence can be explained by the reality that both parameters can be affected by many factors.

Pain and sleep after open-heart surgery-inhalation peppermint essence: double-blind randomized clinical trial

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to determine the effect of inhaling peppermint essence on pain relief and sleep quality after open-heart surgery.MethodsIn a double-blind randomised clinical trial carried out...

The effect of Aromatherapy with Pelargonium graveolens (P. graveolens) on the fatigue and sleep quality of critical care nurses during the Covid-19 pandemic: A randomized controlled trial

ObjectivesMeasures to reduce nurses' fatigue are necessary to improve the patient's care and the nurse's health and well-being. This study investigated the effectiveness of aromatherapy with Pelargonium graveolens (P. graveolens) essential oil on fatigue and sleep quality of nurses working in intensive care units (ICU). MethodsIn this double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial, 84 nurses working in the ICU of Covid-19 patients were assigned to two groups of P. graveolens and placebo by the stratified block method. The intervention group inhaled one drop of pure P. graveolens. The placebo group inhaled one drop of pure sunflower oil in three consecutive shifts (morning or evening) and each shift twice for 20 min. Using the Visual Analog Fatigue Scale (VAS-F), fatigue was measured 30 min before the intervention, immediately, and 60 min later. Also, on the morning of the intervention days, sleep quality was assessed with the Verran and Snyder-Halpern (VSH) Sleep Scale. Data analysis was performed using SPSS, version 24. Independent t-tests, Mann-Whitney, Chi-square tests, and MANOVA, were used. ResultsThe mean score of fatigue immediately and 60 min after aromatherapy in the P. graveolens group was lower than in the control group (P ˂ 0.05). There was no significant difference between the mean sleep scores of nurses in the P. graveolens group before and after the intervention (P > 0.05). ConclusionInhalation aromatherapy with P. graveolens essential oil can reduce nurses' fatigue in the ICU. The findings of this study can make nurses interested in using aromatherapy as a self-care method.

Evaluation of the effect of melatonin in patients with Burning mouth syndrome: a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of Melatonin and Placebo in the patient with the Burning mouth (BMs). This double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial study was carried out on 30 patients who were suffering from BMS. During this period patients were divided into 2 study and control groups. The study group used four 3 mg Melatonin daily and the control group received a placebo. Then the severity of the burning sensation was measured by the physician Sleep quality was measured using the VAS scale using the Petersburg questionnaire. Data in the application Enter SPSS 20 and then using T test or equivalent Nonparametric was analyzed, mean sleep score and mean severity of oral irritation before and after treatment in two the group was evaluated using T-test Independent. Level significance was considered 0.05. The results of the present study show that the use of melatonin and a placebo in patients with BMS reduces sensation and improves their sleep quality, although it may not reduce it completely. In this study severity of burning was 4.93±2.56 after treatment in the study group and 6.93±2.12 in the control group, which was statistically significant (P =0.036). No significant difference was observed between the two groups in the sleep quality score (P-value = 0.43). Using Melatonin can be a reliable way to treat pain for which there is no standard treatment to date. Although evidence suggests an association between sleep disorders and BMS, melatonin was not superior to a placebo in reducing BMS-induced burning in the present study. Identification of stressors and the ways to struggle with them, further studies with larger samples and higher oral doses, extended follow-up periods and control of psychological factors, and measurement of body mass index that may affect pharmacokinetics are recommended.

Correlation of Sleep Quality with Body Mass Index and Blood Pressure among the Healthcare Students in Karnataka: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: A quality night sleep is essential for physical, cognitive, and emotional well-being. The amount of sleep may have an effect on both weight and metabolism. In India, for the last few years, decline in sleep duration has been noted with an average sleep duration of 7 hours per night and one-third sleeping less than 7 hours per night. Televisions and smartphones which came into households as remarkable source of information and entertainment has caused the voluntary sleep restriction. Aim: To evaluate the sleep quality, Body Mass Index (BMI) and Blood Pressure (BP) of the healthcare students and also to find the correlation of sleep quality with BMI and BP. Material and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted on 138 healthy males and females healthcare students residing in hostel premises of Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Karnataka, India from November to December 2021. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaires administered to assess the sleep quality by adding the seven components of PSQI score ranging from 0 to 21. A weighing scale, sphygmomanometer, and stadiometer instruments were used to record the weight, BP, and height. Data were computed in International Business Management (IBM) Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 23.0 to analyse descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The mean age in present study was 23±0.72 years and 71 (51.4%) belonged to 22-23 years, majority 112 (81.2%) were female students. In present study, moderately obese students (33.15±0.72) and severely obese (35.39±0.10) had mean sleep score of 6.00±3.46 and 11 respectively indicating poor sleep quality. The underweight (16.91±1.17), normal weight (21.49±2.04) and overweight (26.49±1.48) had mean sleep score of 3.08±1.62, 3.08±1.12 and 4.66±3.05 respectively, which indicated good sleep quality. Students with hypotension, normal BP and hypertension stage-1 showed mean sleep score of 3.52, 2.71 and 4.77 respectively, showing good sleep quality. A statistically significant positive correlation of BMI was found with SBP (r-value 0.273, p-value 0.001) and DBP (r-value 0.181, p-value 0.033). Conclusion: BMI and BP were positively correlated with sleep quality. Therefore, creating awareness among healthcare students on healthy lifestyles such as exercise, healthy sleep and regular health supervision is essential to prevent prehypertension and maintain normal BMI status.

Effect of Epilepsy on Sleep Quality During Pregnancy and Postpartum.

This study seeks to understand how sleep is affected in pregnant women with epilepsy (WWE) relative to healthy pregnant women during pregnancy and postpartum and to nonpregnant WWE during comparative periods. Sleep affects maternal health and mood during pregnancy. Maternal sleep disturbances are related to poor fetal growth and increased fetal deaths. Epilepsy is the most common neurologic condition in pregnancy. Sleep disruption can worsen epileptic seizures. The interplay between epilepsy, pregnancy, and sleep is poorly understood. The Maternal Outcomes and Neurodevelopmental Effects of Antiepileptic Drugs (MONEAD) study is an NIH-funded, prospective, observational, multicenter study, enrolling women from December 2012 through January 2016. Sleep quality was assessed using the average Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index collected during pregnancy, postpartum, or analogous periods. Sleep scores range from 0 to 21 with higher scores indicating worse sleep quality; scores >5 are associated with poor sleep quality. Of 351 pregnant WWE, 105 healthy pregnant women, and 109 nonpregnant WWE enrolled in the MONEAD study, data from 241 pregnant WWE, 74 healthy pregnant women, and 84 nonpregnant WWE were analyzed. Pregnant WWE had worse sleep (a higher mean sleep score) during pregnancy compared with healthy pregnant women in unadjusted analysis (p = 0.006), but no longer significant in adjusted analysis (p = 0.062); pregnant WWE (least square mean sleep score [95% CI] = 5.8 [5.5-6.1]) vs healthy pregnant women (5.1 [4.6-5.7]). During postpartum period, WWE (5.6 [5.4-5.9]) had similarly impaired sleep compared with healthy women (5.7 [5.2-6.2]; adjusted p = 0.838). Sleep was significantly worse in pregnant WWE vs nonpregnant WWE (for comparable period) in pregnancy and postpartum in unadjusted and adjusted analyses; adjusted scores for pregnant WWE in pregnancy (5.7 [5.4-6.0]) and those in postpartum (5.7 [5.4-6.0]) compared with those for nonpregnant WWE (4.7 [4.2-5.3]; p = 0.002) and (4.1 [3.6-4.7]; p < 0.001), respectively. Sleep quality between pregnancy and postpartum varied only in healthy pregnant women (change in mean score = 0.8 [0.2-1.3]; p = 0.01), whose sleep was worse in postpartum. Pregnant WWE had worse sleep during pregnancy and postpartum period than nonpregnant WWE during comparable periods in the adjusted analysis. The study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT01730170.

Sleep Quality and Factors Affecting Sleep in Individuals With an Intestinal Ostomy: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: Multiple factors affect the sleep quality of individuals with intestinal stomas. PURPOSE: This study sought to determine sleep quality and factors affecting sleep in individuals with intestinal ostomies. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used. This study followed 68 individuals with intestinal stomas at the stoma therapy unit of a university hospital. A form was used to gather information about patient demographic and stoma-related data (age, sex, work status, stoma duration, cause and type of stoma, stoma care provider, sleep status during the day, daily coffee consumption, and stoma-related factors affecting sleep), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used to score patient sleep patterns. Descriptive statistics, t-test, chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, and logistic regression analysis were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The patients’ mean age was 53.7 ± 13.8 years; 51.5% were male, and 66.2% were married. Of the 68 patients, 41.2% had a diagnosis of rectal cancer, and 55.9% had ileostomies. Mean stoma duration was 24.1 ± 5.8 months, and 57.4% of participants performed their own stoma care. On a scale of 0 to 21, the participants’ mean sleep score was 9.08 ± 5.03, and 66.2% of patients were found to have poor sleep quality. High sleep quality was significantly positively associated with colostomy (odds ratio, 1.78; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18–2.69; P = .006) and self-performed stoma care (odds ratio, 1.54; 95% confidence interval, 1.03–2.30; P = .036). CONCLUSION: The results of the current study can provide reference data for future studies and highlight the importance of assessing sleep quality in persons with intestinal stomas.

Sleep Hygiene in Adolescents and Factors Influencing Sleep Pattern: A Cross-sectional Study from Southern India

Introduction: Adolescence is an important period of growth and development. Sleep patterns undergo changes as the child transitions from adolescence to adulthood. A proper sleep hygiene for adolescents is important for their proper health, academic performance and prevention of adult-onset diseases. Aim: To assess sleep pattern and factors influencing sleep among adolescent school-going children. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional questionnairebased study was conducted at Saveetha Medical College Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India (tertiary care centre), from June 2021 to December 2021. School children aged 12-19 years, studying in class 8-12 were included in the study. Adolescent Sleep Hygiene Scale (ASHS) questionnaire, was used to collect information about the sleep practices. In addition, socio-economic class, start to school time, after school activities, sharing of bed room and access to personal devices like mobile phone were also noted. Sleep was assessed with regards to different parameters like physiological factors, cognitive and emotional factor, sleep environment factor, sleep stability factor, daytime sleep factor, bedtime routine factors. In addition, disturbance of sleep based on sharing of bed with others; use of social media, school routine preventing adequate sleep and presence or absence of outdoor activities was also assessed. The primary data was tabulated using Microsoft excel sheet. Analysis of the independent variables with dependant variables was done using a three-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was done using Sigma Plot 13 (Systat Software, USA). Results: A total of 826 students were enrolled in the study. Majority of the study population was females (n=500). Mean age was 15.1±1.6 years. The mean sleep score was 118.7±14.3, out of a possible 150. Sleep stability and bedtime routine factors were the areas the children had lesser scores of 12.6 and 4.2 respectively, compared to other domains. Majority of the children (76.8%, 635) did not have a bedroom of their own and shared it with their parents, siblings or grandparents. Total 602 children did not have television inside their bedroom, likewise, access to computer was also limited (129,15.6%). Socio-economic status was found to be significantly impacting behavioural arousal factors (p-value=0.006), sleep environmental factors (p-value=0.009), sleep stability factors (p-value=0.001) and bedtime routine factors (p-value=0.004) as assessed using ASHS questionnaire. Conclusion: The overall sleep quality was good in the study population. In the Indian setting, the socio-economic class and the type of family play an important role in the sleep hygiene practices of an adolescent. School based and family-based interventions will do a lot of good to adolescent sleep hygiene thereby increasing their overall health, productivity and academic performance.

Association of lifestyle and disease characteristics with self-rated wellness/health score in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

ObjectiveTo study the relationship of self-rated wellness/health and lifestyle in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.MethodsSelf-rated wellness/health, demographics, smoking, mood, sleep, physical activity, diet, symptoms/signs, body mass index and laboratory findings in 142 patients with rheumatoid arthritis were collected in the current cross-sectional study. Multivariable generalized additive model (GAM) was employed to study the association of self-rated wellness/health score and lifestyle factors.ResultsFemale/male ratio was 116/26 and the mean (SD) age of sample was 52 (13) years. Mean (SD) self-rated wellness/health score out of 10 was 7.2 (1.63). Mean (SD) number of tender joints and swollen joints were 4.42 (4.55) and 4.00 (4.26), respectively. The mean sleep score was 29.5 out of 70. Patients went to bed more than one hour earlier during the weekdays compared to weekends (22:45 vs. 23:52 PM, respectively, p < 0.0001). They also woke up more than one hour earlier during the weekdays compared to the weekends (6:08 vs. 7:20 AM, respectively, p < 0.0001). Their nap duration during weekdays was about half an hour shorter than the nap duration on weekends (19.75 vs. 48.02 minutes, respectively, p < 0.0001). The mean mood and diet scores were 18.5/35 and 22.5/42, respectively. By backward elimination in multivariable regression model (GAM), disease duration, mood, sleep quality, weekdays sleep characteristics (sleep duration, time to go to bed, wake-up time, time to fall asleep and nap duration), and sleep duration on weekends remained in the final model (R2 = 0.225, p = 0.01). Sleep quality, nap duration on weekdays, night sleep duration on weekends and mood status were the significant variables associated with self-rated wellness/health score.ConclusionIn patients with rheumatoid arthritis, the low self-rated wellness/health score was associated with the low sleep quality, long sleep duration on weekends, and long nap duration on weekdays.

Sleep Quality in the Indian Adult Population During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing measures such as stay-at-home orders were implemented for all non-essential workers. The consequent disruption in the defined daily work routine has impacted both the quality and duration of sleep. Our aim was to evaluate the quality of sleep in the Indian adult population during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: The data were collected between April 17, 2020 and May 24, 2020, and participants were invited openly through social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram). Sleep quality was evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) Questionnaire.Results: The study population consisted of 808 participants (mean age 30.85 years, 56.7% female). The mean sleep score of the study population was 6.78 ± 3.19 on the PSQI, with a majority (57.2%) of respondents showing 'poor' sleep quality (>5 on PSQI). The mean sleep duration of the study population was found to be 6.9 ± 1.4 h, and sleep latency was 42.64 ± 51.6 min. The PSQI scores were comparable for age, gender, and work status and were not significant. However, a significant association between self-reported mental health and quality of sleep was found (p<0.05). Participants who reported a deterioration in mental health were more likely to have poor sleep quality than those who reported an improvement in their mental health.Conclusions: The results of this study show that poor sleep quality is widely prevalent among the the general population in India during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Is it Noise? Factors Linked With Sleep Interruption in Hospitalized Patients.

The aim of this study was to explore the perceived quality of sleep and sleep disturbances in hospitalized patients. A prospective descriptive, exploratory, cross-sectional study was conducted at a 172-bed community hospital in Northeast Ohio. A convenient sample of 100 hospitalized patients was recruited from medical/surgical, progressive care, and intensive care units. Participants used the Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire to report sleep. A quality of sleep assessment survey was used to collect information regarding 17 factors leading to decreased quality of sleep. Mean sleep score was 47.92 for each question regarding sleep depth, latency, awakenings, time spent awake, and overall sleep quality. Pearson's correlation showed a significantly positive correlation between measure of noise and sleep score. Five environmental factors were identified as most disruptive to sleep: pain, laboratory draws, staff, blood pressure checks, and intravenous alarms. The positive correlation between sleeping well and higher noise levels is noteworthy. Raising awareness about the importance of sleep in the hospital setting and introducing interventions to promote a quiet environment and minimize sleep-disturbing factors may increase patient satisfaction scores and improve healing.

Daytime and nocturnal activity in treated dogs with idiopathic epilepsy compared to matched unaffected controls.

BackgroundIn dogs, antiepileptic drugs (AED) cause lethargy but quantitative data regarding the effects of AED on activity levels are not available, and little is known about how AEDs affect sleep quality.ObjectiveTo quantitatively compare activity levels and nocturnal activity in dogs previously diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy (IE) receiving AEDs compared to age‐ and breed‐matched control dogs.AnimalsSixty‐two dogs with IE and 310 control dogs.MethodsThis is a 3‐month prospective parallel observational study. An activity monitoring device for dogs was used to measure daily activity levels and sleep scores in all dogs.ResultsDogs with IE treated with AEDs had an 18% average lower baseline activity level compared to control dogs (P = .005; point estimate = 0.82, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.75‐0.90). The combination of phenobarbital and potassium bromide (KBr) was associated with an average 28% decrease in activity in dogs with IE compared to control dogs (P = .03; point estimate = 0.72; CI, 0.62‐0.82). Mean sleep scores were not significantly different in dogs with IE receiving AEDs compared to control dogs (P = .43). However, higher dosages of KBr were associated with lower sleep scores (P = .01).ConclusionsDogs with IE receiving AEDs have lower activity levels, but no difference in sleep scores, compared to controls. The combination of phenobarbital and KBr had the largest decrease in activity between groups. Higher doses of KBr may affect nocturnal activity in epileptic dogs.

Association of stress, anxiety, and depression levels with sleep quality in patients with temporomandibular disorders

ABSTRACT Objective To examine the psychological symptoms of TMD and their effects on sleep quality in patients with temporomandibular disorders. Methods The study was carried out with 425 consecutive TMD patients who sought care at the oral and maxillofacial surgery clinic of a faculty of dentistry. Perceived Stress Scale-14, Beck Anxiety Scale, and Beck Depression Scale were used to evaluate the psychological state. Sleep quality was evaluated with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Results The mean sleep score of all participants was 6.52. As the level of anxiety and depression increased, the scores of both total sleep quality and sleep quality components increased significantly p < 0.01. On the other hand, those with poor sleep quality had significantly higher stress, anxiety, and depression levels than those with good sleep quality p < 0.01. Conclusion Negative emotional situations such as stress, anxiety, and depression seriously impair sleep quality in TMD patients.

Insomnia and stress of physicians during COVID-19 outbreak

BackgroundHealthcare workers are at high risk of developing sleep disorders during an outbreak. This study aimed to measure severity of sleep difficulty and its correlation with duration of deal with suspected/confirmed cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in physicians. MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, 268 physicians from different medical settings were included during the COVID-19 outbreak. ResultsThe mean age and experience of physicians were 35.06 (33–70 years) and 10.13 years. The median duration of dealing with suspected/confirmed cases of COVID-19 was 1.0 (0–30 days). The mean sleep score and stress of physicians were 8.43 of 24.0 and 4.20 of 10, respectively. More than two-thirds of the physicians were sleepless (68.3%) and majority had stress (93.7%). The study did not find a significant difference in sleep score of physicians with different specialties (P = 0.059). However, most physicians were sleepless; including anesthesia and intensive care (77.8%); general physicians (80.8%), and obstetrics and gynecology (80.0%). They were sleepless in morning (58.7%); evening (77.8%); night (100%); and multi-shift (70.9%). The physicians who dealt with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 or with stress had more escalated sleep compared to those who did not deal with patients or without stress (9.39 vs. 7.17 and 8.78 vs. 2.69 P < 0.001). The sleep of physicians was escalated with increasing stress (r = 0.558; P < 0.001) and a number of days that physicians dealt with suspected/confirmed cases of COVID-19 (r = 0.210; P = 0.001), respectively. ConclusionThe study confirmed that working with COVID-19 patients has a negative effect on the sleep of physicians.

Effect of Foot Reflexology on Pain, Fatigue, and Quality of Sleep after Kidney Transplantation Surgery: A Parallel Randomized Controlled Trial.

Materials and Methods The study was a parallel randomized controlled trial. Patients admitted to the transplantation ward participated in the study. Fifty-three eligible patients were allocated into the foot reflexology group (n = 26) and the control group (n = 27) by using the stratified randomization method. Finally, 25 participants in each group finished the study. The intervention group received foot reflexology for 30 minutes once a day for three consecutive days, and no reflexology was applied in the control group. The intervention started on the second day after surgery. Pain, fatigue, and quality of sleep were measured on the first, second (before intervention), third, fourth, and eleventh days after surgery. Data were collected using visual analogue scale for measuring pain and fatigue and Verran and Snyder-Halpern sleep scale for measuring quality of sleep. Results In each group, 25 patients finished the study. The mean pain score in the foot reflexology and control groups decreased from 9.44 ± 0.96 and 9.36 ± 0.91 on the day of surgery to 1.32 ± 0.94 and 4.32 ± 1.68 on the eleventh day after surgery, respectively. The mean fatigue score in the reflexology and control groups decreased from 8.76 ± 1.27 and 8.6 ± 1.26 on the day of surgery to 1.24 ± 1.2 and 3.92 ± 1.63 on the eleventh day after surgery, respectively. The mean sleep score in the foot reflexology and control groups increased from 33.38 ± 11.22 and 39.59 ± 12.8 on the day of surgery to 69.43 ± 12.8 and 56.27 ± 8.03 on the eleventh day after surgery, respectively. While pain, fatigue, and sleep quality scores improved in both groups, those in the intervention group showed significantly greater improvement compared with the control group (P < 0.001). No significant difference was found between the two groups in the use of acetaminophen on the first, second, third, fourth, and eleventh days after surgery (P > 0.05). Conclusion Foot reflexology may reduce pain and fatigue and improve sleep quality of patients after kidney transplantation.