scholarly journals Sleep in Older Adults and Its Possible Relations With COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Natan Pires ◽  
Isabela Antunes Ishikura ◽  
Sandra Doria Xavier ◽  
Caetano Petrella ◽  
Ronaldo Delmonte Piovezan ◽  
...  

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, older adults have been found to be a highly vulnerable group, with a higher prevalence of severe cases and negative outcomes. Research has focused on the reasons why older adults are at greater risk; Sleep-related factors have been suggested as one possible explanation for this. An individual’s sleep pattern undergoes significant changes over the course of their life. In older adults a specific sleep profile can be observed, one characterized by advanced sleep timing, a morningness preference, longer sleep-onset latency, shorter overall sleep duration, increased sleep fragmentation, reduced slow-wave sleep and, increased wake time after sleep onset. Additionally, an increased prevalence of sleep disorders can be observed, such as obstructive sleep apnea and insomnia. Previous research has already linked sleep disorders (especially sleep apnea) with COVID-19, but few studies have focused specifically on the older population. We believe that the intrinsic sleep patterns of older adults, and the prevalence of sleep disorders in this population, may be important factors that could explain why they are at a greater risk of negative COVID-19 outcomes. In this review, we discuss the relationship between sleep and COVID-19 among older adults, focusing on three different aspects: (1) Sleep-related issues that might increase the likelihood of getting infected by SARS-COV-2; (2) Sleep disturbances that might increase the predisposition to worse COVID-19 prognosis and outcomes; and (3) COVID-19-related aspects affecting community-dwelling older adults, such as social isolation, quarantine, and home confinement, among others, that might impact sleep.

2021 ◽  
pp. 026010602110023
Author(s):  
Sofia Cienfuegos ◽  
Kelsey Gabel ◽  
Faiza Kalam ◽  
Mark Ezpeleta ◽  
Vicky Pavlou ◽  
...  

Background: Time restricted feeding (TRF) involves deliberately restricting the times during which energy is ingested. Preliminary findings suggest that 8–10-h TRF improves sleep. However, the effects of shorter TRF windows (4–6 h) on sleep, remain unknown. Aims: This study compared the effects of 4-h versus 6-h TRF on sleep quality, duration, insomnia severity and the risk of obstructive sleep apnea. Methods: Adults with obesity ( n = 49) were randomized into one of three groups: 4-h TRF (eating only between 3 and 7 p.m.), 6-h TRF (eating only between 1 and 7 p.m.), or a control group (no meal timing restrictions) for 8 weeks. Results: After 8 weeks, body weight decreased ( p < 0.001) similarly by 4-h TRF (–3.9 ± 0.4 kg) and 6-h TRF (–3.4 ± 0.4 kg), versus controls. Sleep quality, measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), did not change by 4-h TRF (baseline: 5.9 ± 0.7; week 8: 4.8 ± 0.6) or 6-h TRF (baseline: 6.4 ± 0.8; week 8: 5.3 ± 0.9), versus controls. Wake time, bedtime, sleep duration and sleep onset latency also remained unchanged. Insomnia severity did not change by 4-h TRF (baseline: 4.4 ± 1.0; week 8: 4.7 ± 0.9) or 6-h TRF (baseline: 8.3 ± 1.2; week 8: 5.5 ± 1.1), versus controls. Percent of participants reporting obstructive sleep apnea symptoms did not change by 4-h TRF (baseline: 44%; week 8: 25%) or 6-h TRF (baseline: 47%; week 8: 20%), versus controls. Conclusion: These findings suggest that 4- and 6-h TRF have no effect on sleep quality, duration, insomnia severity, or the risk of obstructive sleep apnea.


SLEEP ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cathy A Alessi ◽  
Constance H Fung ◽  
Joseph M Dzierzewski ◽  
Lavinia Fiorentino ◽  
Carl Stepnowsky ◽  
...  

Abstract Study Objectives Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI) for comorbid insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has had mixed results. We integrated CBTI with a positive airway pressure (PAP) adherence program and tested effects on sleep and PAP use. Methods 125 veterans (mean age 63.2, 96% men, 39% non-Hispanic white, 26% black/African American, 18% Hispanic/Latino) with comorbid insomnia and newly-diagnosed OSA (apnea-hypopnea index ≥ 15) were randomized to 5-weekly sessions integrating CBTI with a PAP adherence program provided by a “sleep coach” (with behavioral sleep medicine supervision), or 5-weekly sleep education control sessions. Participants and assessment staff were blinded to group assignment. Outcomes (baseline, 3 and 6 months) included Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), 7-day sleep diary (sleep onset latency [SOL-D], wake after sleep onset [WASO-D], sleep efficiency [SE-D]), 7-day actigraphy (SE-A), and objective PAP use (hours/night and nights ≥ 4 h). Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire-10 (FOSQ-10) were also collected. Results Compared to controls, intervention participants showed greater improvement (baseline to 3 and 6 months, respectively) in PSQI (−3.2 and −1.7), SOL-D (−16.2 and −15.5 minutes), SE-D (10.5% and 8.5%), SE-A (4.4% and 2.6%) and more 90-day PAP use (1.3 and 0.9 more hours/night, 17.4 and 11.3 more nights PAP ≥ 4 h). 90-day PAP use at 3 months was 3.2 and 1.9 h/night in intervention versus controls. Intervention participants also had greater improvements in ISI, ESS, and FOSQ-10 (all p &lt; 0.05). Conclusions An intervention integrating CBTI with a PAP adherence program delivered by a supervised sleep coach improved sleep and PAP use in adults with comorbid insomnia and OSA. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Study name: Novel Treatment of Comorbid Insomnia and Sleep Apnea in Older Veterans URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?cond=&term=NCT02027558&cntry=&state=&city=&dist= Registration: NCT02027558


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (18) ◽  
pp. 5993
Author(s):  
Mahnoosh Kholghi ◽  
Claire M. Ellender ◽  
Qing Zhang ◽  
Yang Gao ◽  
Liesel Higgins ◽  
...  

Older adults are susceptible to poor night-time sleep, characterized by short sleep duration and high sleep disruptions (i.e., more frequent and longer awakenings). This study aimed to longitudinally and objectively assess the changes in sleep patterns of older Australians during the 2020 pandemic lockdown. A non-invasive mattress-based device, known as the EMFIT QS, was used to continuously monitor sleep in 31 older adults with an average age of 84 years old before (November 2019–February 2020) and during (March–May 2020) the COVID-19, a disease caused by a form of coronavirus, lockdown. Total sleep time, sleep onset latency, wake after sleep onset, sleep efficiency, time to bed, and time out of bed were measured across these two periods. Overall, there was no significant change in total sleep time; however, women had a significant increase in total sleep time (36 min), with a more than 30-min earlier bedtime. There was also no increase in wake after sleep onset and sleep onset latency. Sleep efficiency remained stable across the pandemic time course between 84–85%. While this sample size is small, these data provide reassurance that objective sleep measurement did not deteriorate through the pandemic in older community-dwelling Australians.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bjørn Bjorvatn ◽  
Susanna Jernelöv ◽  
Ståle Pallesen

Patients with insomnia complain of problems with sleep onset or sleep maintenance or early morning awakenings, or a combination of these, despite adequate opportunity and circumstances for sleep. In addition, to fulfill the diagnostic criteria for insomnia the complaints need to be associated with negative daytime consequences. For chronic insomnia, the symptoms are required to be present at least 3 days per week for a duration of at least 3 months. Lastly, for insomnia to be defined as a disorder, the sleep complaints and daytime symptoms should not be better explained by another sleep disorder. This criterion represents a diagnostic challenge, since patients suffering from other sleep disorders often complain of insomnia symptoms. For instance, insomnia symptoms are common in e.g., obstructive sleep apnea and circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders. It may sometimes be difficult to disentangle whether the patient suffers from insomnia disorder or whether the insomnia symptoms are purely due to another sleep disorder. Furthermore, insomnia disorder may be comorbid with other sleep disorders in some patients, e.g., comorbid insomnia and sleep apnea (COMISA). In addition, insomnia disorder is often comorbid with psychological or somatic disorders and diseases. Thus, a thorough assessment is necessary for correct diagnostics. For chronic insomnia disorder, treatment-of-choice is cognitive behavioral therapy, and such treatment is also effective when the insomnia disorder appears comorbid with other diagnoses. Furthermore, studies suggest that insomnia is a heterogenic disorder with many different phenotypes or subtypes. Different insomnia subtypes may respond differently to treatment, but more research on this issue is warranted. Also, the role of comorbidity on treatment outcome is understudied. This review is part of a Research Topic on insomnia launched by Frontiers and focuses on diagnostic and treatment challenges of the disorder. The review aims to stimulate to more research into the bidirectional associations and interactions between insomnia disorder and other sleep, psychological, and somatic disorders/diseases.


2021 ◽  
pp. 025371762110483
Author(s):  
Kaustav Kundu ◽  
Gaurav Sharma ◽  
Lokesh Saini ◽  
Ravi Gupta

Background: Sleep state misperception (SSM) is seen among patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as well as those having insomnia. Moreover, OSA and insomnia can also be comorbid. This study aims at finding the proportion of SSM and “Comorbid Insomnia with OSA” (COMISA) among patients of OSA and chronic insomnia. Macroachitecture of sleep was also compared across groups. Methods: This study utilized the retrospective laboratory and medical records of two groups of patients: chronic insomnia and OSA. Sleep disorders were diagnosed according to standard criteria. Daytime sleepiness was examined using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Diagnosis of SSM was based on the difference between subjective and objective sleep onset latency (Subjective SOL > 1.5 × Objective SOL). Results: Sixteen adult subjects were included in each group. Based on the difference between subjective and objective sleep onset latency, SSM was reported by 62.5% subjects of chronic insomnia and 56.25% subjects having OSA (OR = 1.29; 95% CI = 0.31–5.33; P = 0.79). The proportion of COMISA in subjects with chronic insomnia was 18% and among subjects with OSA, it was 43%. Effect size for the proportion was calculated as odds ratio (33.96; 95% CI = 7.48–154.01; P < 0.0002). Thus, the odds for COMISA were higher among subjects with OSA than those with chronic Insomnia. The three groups (OSA, COMISA and Chronic Insomnia) were comparable with regard to the macro-architecture of sleep. Conclusion: SSM is common among subjects with OSA and chronic insomnia. COMISA was commoner among patients with OSA compared to those with chronic insomnia. Macro-architecture of sleep is comparable among groups.


SLEEP ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A408-A408
Author(s):  
A Kram Mendelsohn ◽  
C Daffre ◽  
K I Oliver ◽  
J Seo ◽  
N B Lasko ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Hyperarousal and disturbed sleep are intrinsic symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We explored whether self-reported indices of hyperarousal predict longitudinally measured objective, subjective, and retrospective evaluations of sleep quality in trauma-exposed individuals. Methods Individuals exposed to a DSM-5 PTSD Criterion-A traumatic event within the past two years (N=130, 91 females), aged 18-40 (mean 24.43, SD 5.30), 51.54% of whom met DSM-5 criteria for PTSD, completed 14 days of actigraphy and sleep diaries. Participants also completed the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-5), published Hyperarousal (HAS) and Hypervigilance (HVQ) scales, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) (N=108-125 for different scales). Mean total sleep time (TST), sleep onset latency (SOL), sleep efficiency (SE) and sleep midpoint were calculated from actigraphy and subjective SOL, SE, number of awakenings, and time spent awake from diaries. Simple regressions were used to predict associations of the PCL-5, HAS, and HVQ scores with measures of sleep quality. Results Hyperarousal indices predicted diary but not actigraphy measures of sleep quality. Longer diary-reported SOL was predicted by higher scores for: PCL-5 total score (R=0.290, p=0.001), PCL-5 hyperarousal items without the sleep item (R=0.261, p=0.004), and HAS without sleep items (R=0.220, p=0.016). Diary-reported number of awakenings and wake time after sleep onset were predicted by higher HAS scores without the sleep question: (R=0.373, p&lt;0.001; r=0.352, p&lt;0.001). Similarly, all hyperarousal indices significantly predicted PSQI global score (PCL-5: R=0.482, p&lt;0.001; PCL-5 hyperarousal: R=0.389, p&lt;0.001; HVQ: R=0.214, p=0.017; HAS without sleep question: R=0.415, p&lt;0.001). Conclusion Self-reported hyperarousal measures predict subjective longitudinal (especially SOL) and retrospective measures, but not objective measurements of sleep quality. Similar discrepancies between self-reported and objective measures of sleep quality have been reported in patients with insomnia disorder. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia may be especially effective in treating post-traumatic sleep disturbances. Support R01MH109638


2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (S1) ◽  
pp. 1-1
Author(s):  
N. Deriaz ◽  
G. Galli-Carminati ◽  
G. Bertschy

Background:Melatonin may be used to treat sleep disorders in both children and adults with intellectual disability. the evidence for its efficacy, potential adverse effects and drug interactions are reviewed in the context of prescribing to people with intellectual disability.Methods:This study presents the use of melatonin to treat severe circadian sleep-wake disturbances in 6 adults with pervasive developmental disorders. Melatonin was initiated at a daily dose of 3 mg at nocturnal bedtime. If this proved ineffective, the melatonin dose was titrated over the following 4 weeks at increments of 3mg/2weeks up to a maximum of 9 mg, unless it was tolerated. Assessments included the Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) and CGI-Improvement (CGI-I).Results:Melatonin administered in the evening dramatically improved the sleep-wake pattern in all patients. Melatonin appears to be effective in reducing sleep onset latency and is probably effective in improving nocturnal awakenings and total sleep time in adults with pervasive developmental disorders. Its effectiveness remained stable for the 6-months period of administration. Melatonin was well-tolerated in all patients and no side effects were noted during the therapy.Conclusions:Melatonin appears to be promising as an efficient and seemingly safe alternative for treatment of severe circadian sleep disturbances in adults with intellectual disability. There may be heterogeneity of response depending on the nature of the sleep problem and cause of the intellectual disability or associated disabilities. Further studies are necessary before firm conclusions can be drawn and guidelines for the use of melatonin for people with ID formulated.


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