The Effect of A Whey-Protein and Galacto-Oligosaccharides Based Product on Parameters of Sleep Quality, Stress, and Gut Microbiota in Apparently Healthy Adults with Moderate Sleep Disturbances: A Randomized Controlled Cross-Over Study

People experiencing sleep problems may benefit from nutrients supporting serotonin metabolism and stress reduction. We studied the effect of a dairy-based product (DP) containing protein, galacto-oligosaccharides, vitamins and minerals, on sleep quality, stress, and gut-microbiota. In a cross-over RCT (three weeks intervention; three weeks washout), adults (n = 70; 30–50 y) with sleep disturbances (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) ≥ 9) consumed products 1 h before bed-time. Sleep quality (PSQI) was measured weekly, stress at base- and end-line (Depression Anxiety Stress Scale and saliva cortisol). Fecal samples were collected in the 1st intervention period only. Compared to placebo (skimmed milk), PSQI was only lower at day 14 in the 2nd intervention period in intention-to-treat (ITT) (p = 0.017; n = 69) and per-protocol (PP) (p = 0.038; n = 64) analyses. Post-hoc analysis (modified-PP: n=47, with baseline PSQI ≥ 9, and endline day 14), however, showed a decrease in PSQI (−1.60 ± 2.53; p = 0.034). Early morning saliva cortisol decreased versus placebo (p = 0.045). Relative abundance of Bifidobacterium increased (p = 0.02). Redundancy analysis showed an inverse relationship between baseline microbiota composition and baseline PSQI (p = 0.046). Thus, although DP did not improve sleep quality in ITT and PP populations, it did in the modPP. DP reduced salivary cortisol and stimulated Bifidobacterium, which possibly is important for sleep improvement.

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The Relationship Among Sleep Quality, the Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale, Abstinence Self-efficacy, and Quality of Life with Alcohol Use Disorder in South Korea

Global Journal of Health Science ◽

10.5539/gjhs.v12n4p69 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 69

Author(s):

EunJu Song

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Stages Of Change ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Sleep Disturbances ◽

Alcohol Use Disorder ◽

Sleep Problems ◽

The Relationship

Many patients with alcohol use disorder experienced insomnia or sleep disturbances. However, their sleep problems rarely addressed in the treatment process. It may prove beneficial if treatment programs should intend to help prevent the recurrence of alcohol use disorder by solving patients’ sleep-induced problems and accordingly include appropriate sleep interventions. The present study employed a descriptive design and conducted a cross-sectional survey to assess the relationship among sleep quality, score on the Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES), abstinence self-efficacy, and quality of life in inpatients with alcohol use disorders. Data were collected from June to August 2018, from 117 patients admitted to the psychiatric ward for alcohol-use patients in two mental hospitals in South Korea. Sleep quality was significantly correlated with the SOCRATES score (r = .247, p = .007) and quality of life (r = -.346, p = .001). However, it showed no relationship with abstinence self-efficacy (r = -.066, p = .477). These findings suggest that abstinence programs need to employ a comprehensive approach instead of primarily focusing on maintaining abstinence and cessation of alcohol use. However, both sleep disturbances and alcohol abstinence require patience and prolonged treatment. Thus, it is a challenge to design concrete interventions to address the sleep problems experienced by patients with alcohol use disorder.

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Mobile App Use for Insomnia Self-Management in Urban Community-Dwelling Older Korean Adults: Retrospective Intervention Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.17755 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Kyungmi Chung ◽

Seoyoung Kim ◽

Eun Lee ◽

Jin Young Park

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Sleep Problems ◽

Mobile App ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Intervention Period ◽

Post Intervention ◽

Subjective Sleep Quality ◽

Subjective Sleep ◽

Self Help

BACKGROUND As an evidence-based psychotherapy for treating insomnia, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), which helps people with sleep problems to change their unhelpful sleep-related beliefs and habits, has been well-established in older adults. Recently, the utilization of mobile CBT-I apps has been getting attention from mental health professionals and researchers; however, whether mobile CBT-I apps are usable among older users has yet to be determined. OBJECTIVE The aims of this study were to explore the relationships between subjective sleep quality and subjective memory complaints and depressive symptoms; to explore the relationship between perceived difficulty in mobile app use and usability of the mobile phone–based self-help CBT-I app, named MIND MORE, in urban community-dwelling Korean older adults; to compare changes in subjective sleep quality from pre-intervention to post-intervention, during which they used the mobile app over a 1-week intervention period; and evaluate adherence to the app. METHODS During the 2-hour training program delivered on 1 day titled “Overcoming insomnia without medication: How to use the ‘MIND MORE’ mobile app for systematic self-management of insomnia” (pre-intervention), 41 attendants were asked to gain hands-on experience with the app facilitated by therapists and volunteer workers. They were then asked to complete questionnaires on sociodemographic characteristics, subjective evaluation of mental health status (ie, depression, memory loss and impairment, and sleep problems), and app usability. For the 1-week home-based self-help CBT-I using the app (post-intervention), 9 of the 41 program attendants, who had already signed up for the pre-intervention, were guided to complete the given questionnaires on subjective evaluation of sleep quality after the 1-week intervention, specifically 8 days after the training program ended. RESULTS Due to missing data, 40 of 41 attendants were included in the data analysis. The main findings of this study were as follows. First, poor subjective sleep quality was associated with higher ratings of depressive symptoms (40/40; ρ=.60, P<.001) and memory complaints (40/40; ρ=.46, P=.003) at baseline. Second, significant improvements in subjective sleep quality from pre-intervention to post-intervention were observed in the older adults who used the MIND MORE app only for the 1-week intervention period (9/9; t8=3.74, P=.006). Third, apart from the program attendants who did not have a smartphone (2/40) or withdrew from their MIND MORE membership (3/40), those who attended the 1-day sleep education program adhered to the app from at least 2 weeks (13/35, 37%) to 8 weeks (2/35, 6%) without any further contact. CONCLUSIONS This study provides empirical evidence that the newly developed MIND MORE app not only is usable among older users but also could improve subjective sleep quality after a 1-week self-help intervention period.

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Prevalence and Determinants of Bad Sleep Perception among Italian Children and Adolescents

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17249363 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (24) ◽

pp. 9363

Author(s):

Serena Malloggi ◽

Francesca Conte ◽

Giorgio Gronchi ◽

Gianluca Ficca ◽

Fiorenza Giganti

Keyword(s):

Sleep Quality ◽

Depressed Mood ◽

Behavioral Problems ◽

Sleep Disturbances ◽

Sleep Problems ◽

Sleep Latency ◽

Sleep Habits ◽

Subjective Sleep Quality ◽

Quality Perception ◽

Subjective Sleep

Although sleep problems at young ages are well investigated, the prevalence of bad sleepers and the determinants of sleep quality perception remain unexplored in these populations. For this purpose, we addressed these issues in a sample of children (n = 307), preadolescents (n = 717), and adolescents (n = 406) who completed the School Sleep Habits Survey, addressing sleep quality perception, sleep habits, sleep features, daytime behavior and sleep disturbances, circadian preference, and dreaming. The sample was split in “good sleepers” and “bad sleepers”, based on the answer to the question item assessing overall subjective sleep quality. Being a bad sleeper was reported by 11.7% of the sample, with significant between-groups differences (children: 8.3%; preadolescents: 11.3%; adolescents: 15.3%; p = 0.01). At all ages, relative to good sleepers, bad sleepers showed higher eveningness, sleepiness, and depression, longer sleep latency, more frequent insufficient sleep, nocturnal awakenings, sleep–wake behavioral problems, and unpleasant dreams (all p’s ≤ 0.01). Sleep quality perception was predicted: in children, by depressed mood, eveningness, and unpleasant dreams (all p’s ≤ 0.01); in preadolescents, by sleep latency, awakening frequency, depressed mood, sufficiency of sleep, and unpleasant dreams (all p’s < 0.01); in adolescents, by awakening frequency, depressed mood, and sufficiency of sleep (all p’s < 0.001). In children, bad subjective sleep quality appears to be mainly determined by daytime psychological features, for example, depressed mood, whereas at later ages, sleep characteristics, such as frequent awakenings, add to the former determinants. This could depend on (a) the appearance, with increasing age, of objective sleep modifications and (b) a greater attention paid by adolescents to their sleep characteristics.

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Mobile App Use for Insomnia Self-Management in Urban Community-Dwelling Older Korean Adults: Retrospective Intervention Study

JMIR mhealth and uhealth ◽

10.2196/17755 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (8) ◽

pp. e17755

Author(s):

Kyungmi Chung ◽

Seoyoung Kim ◽

Eun Lee ◽

Jin Young Park

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Sleep Problems ◽

Mobile App ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Intervention Period ◽

Post Intervention ◽

Subjective Sleep Quality ◽

Subjective Sleep ◽

Self Help

Background As an evidence-based psychotherapy for treating insomnia, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), which helps people with sleep problems to change their unhelpful sleep-related beliefs and habits, has been well-established in older adults. Recently, the utilization of mobile CBT-I apps has been getting attention from mental health professionals and researchers; however, whether mobile CBT-I apps are usable among older users has yet to be determined. Objective The aims of this study were to explore the relationships between subjective sleep quality and subjective memory complaints and depressive symptoms; to explore the relationship between perceived difficulty in mobile app use and usability of the mobile phone–based self-help CBT-I app, named MIND MORE, in urban community-dwelling Korean older adults; to compare changes in subjective sleep quality from pre-intervention to post-intervention, during which they used the mobile app over a 1-week intervention period; and evaluate adherence to the app. Methods During the 2-hour training program delivered on 1 day titled “Overcoming insomnia without medication: How to use the ‘MIND MORE’ mobile app for systematic self-management of insomnia” (pre-intervention), 41 attendants were asked to gain hands-on experience with the app facilitated by therapists and volunteer workers. They were then asked to complete questionnaires on sociodemographic characteristics, subjective evaluation of mental health status (ie, depression, memory loss and impairment, and sleep problems), and app usability. For the 1-week home-based self-help CBT-I using the app (post-intervention), 9 of the 41 program attendants, who had already signed up for the pre-intervention, were guided to complete the given questionnaires on subjective evaluation of sleep quality after the 1-week intervention, specifically 8 days after the training program ended. Results Due to missing data, 40 of 41 attendants were included in the data analysis. The main findings of this study were as follows. First, poor subjective sleep quality was associated with higher ratings of depressive symptoms (40/40; ρ=.60, P<.001) and memory complaints (40/40; ρ=.46, P=.003) at baseline. Second, significant improvements in subjective sleep quality from pre-intervention to post-intervention were observed in the older adults who used the MIND MORE app only for the 1-week intervention period (9/9; t8=3.74, P=.006). Third, apart from the program attendants who did not have a smartphone (2/40) or withdrew from their MIND MORE membership (3/40), those who attended the 1-day sleep education program adhered to the app from at least 2 weeks (13/35, 37%) to 8 weeks (2/35, 6%) without any further contact. Conclusions This study provides empirical evidence that the newly developed MIND MORE app not only is usable among older users but also could improve subjective sleep quality after a 1-week self-help intervention period.

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Who sleeps better? Sleep patterns and sleep disturbances in adolescents with recurrent abdominal pain or inflammatory bowel disease and healthy controls

Theory and Clinical Practice in Pediatrics ◽

10.25082/tcpp.2021.01.005 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 83-93

Author(s):

Ann-Kristin Manhart ◽

◽

Angelika A. Schlarb ◽

Keyword(s):

Abdominal Pain ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Sleep Disturbances ◽

Sleep Problems ◽

Recurrent Abdominal Pain ◽

Control Group ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Healthy Control ◽

Inflammatory Bowel ◽

Sleep Difficulties

Background: Sleep difficulties play an important role in the maintenance and course of chronic abdominal pain disorders (RAP and IBD). Particularly among adolescents with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) or recurrent abdominal pain (RAP), adequate sleep seems to be important, as the diseases self and the associated symptoms can cause distress and impair daytime functioning. Hence it seems adequate to take a closer look concerning the sleep difficulties within the different conditions of abdominal pain especially in comparison to a healthy control. To our knowledge no former study compared sleep problems in youths with RAP and IBD as well as healthy controls. Thus the aim of the present study was to 1) evaluate sleep problems in the RAP and IBD and 2) compare the sleep problems of these abdominal pain diseases with a healthy control group. Methods: 129 adolescents (14-25 years) took part in the online survey, with 58 suffering from IBD, 23 had RAP and 48 healthy controls. Adolescents completed sleep questionnaires as PSQI, SDSC or NEQ. Data was analysed by conducting MANOVAs to test differences between the three groups followed by a post-hoc analyses. Results: Significant differences between both patient groups and healthy controls regarding sleep quality as well as sleep disturbances were found. Results indicate that especially young IBD patients suffered more often from poor sleep quality, sleep disturbances as well as daily effects of nightmares than the control group. The comparison of adolescents with RAP and healthy controls showed elevated scores concerning sleep disturbances for RAP patients. However, IBD and RAP adolescents did not differ significantly concerning most sleep measurements. Discussion: The study at hand was the first to compare adolescents with IBD and RAP regarding sleep difficulties. Adolescents with IBD and RAP have an impaired sleep quality as well as a higher rate of sleep disturbances and suffer from daily effects of nightmares than the control group. Therefore sleep disturbances should be also addressed when treating IBD and RAP patients to prevent further impairments.

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Nutritional Interventions to Improve Sleep in Team-Sport Athletes: A Narrative Review

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13051586 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 1586

Author(s):

Madeleine Gratwicke ◽

Kathleen H. Miles ◽

David B. Pyne ◽

Kate L. Pumpa ◽

Brad Clark

Keyword(s):

Sleep Quality ◽

Sleep Disturbances ◽

Early Morning ◽

Vital Role ◽

Narrative Review ◽

Poor Sleep ◽

Carbohydrate Ingestion ◽

Nutritional Interventions ◽

Nutrition Research ◽

Improve Sleep Quality

Athletes often experience sleep disturbances and poor sleep as a consequence of extended travel, the timing of training and competition (i.e., early morning or evening), and muscle soreness. Nutrition plays a vital role in sports performance and recovery, and a variety of foods, beverages, and supplements purportedly have the capacity to improve sleep quality and quantity. Here, we review and discuss relevant studies regarding nutrition, foods, supplements, and beverages that may improve sleep quality and quantity. Our narrative review was supported by a semi-systematic approach to article searching, and specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, such that articles reviewed were relevant to athletes and sporting environments. Six databases—PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, EMBASE, SPORTDiscus, and Google Scholar—were searched for initial studies of interest from inception to November 2020. Given the paucity of sleep nutrition research in the athlete population, we expanded our inclusion criteria to include studies that reported the outcomes of nutritional interventions to improve sleep in otherwise healthy adults. Carbohydrate ingestion to improve sleep parameters is inconclusive, although high glycemic index foods appear to have small benefits. Tart cherry juice can promote sleep quantity, herbal supplements can enhance sleep quality, while kiwifruit and protein interventions have been shown to improve both sleep quality and quantity. Nutritional interventions are an effective way to improve sleep quality and quantity, although further research is needed to determine the appropriate dose, source, and timing in relation to training, travel, and competition requirements.

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Sleep, Fatigue, and Functional Health in Psychotic Patients

Schizophrenia Research and Treatment ◽

10.1155/2013/425826 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2013 ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Flavie Waters ◽

Neepa Naik ◽

Daniel Rock

Keyword(s):

Regression Analysis ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Health Survey ◽

Quality Index ◽

Sleep Disturbances ◽

Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index ◽

Sleep Problems ◽

Functional Health ◽

Symptom Inventory

This study sought to examine the association between sleep, fatigue, and functional health in psychotic patients. Participants included 93 psychotic inpatients (n=67with schizophrenia) who completed the Chalder Fatigue Scale (ChFS), the Fatigue Symptom Inventory (FSI), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the SF36 Health Survey. Patients were classified on the basis of their performance on sleep and fatigue measures: 60% reported significant levels of fatigue and 67% significant sleep disturbances. 28.4% reported both, suggesting that fatigue and sleep dysfunctions do not necessarily cooccur. A closer examination of patterns showed that fatigue was only related to qualitative aspects of sleep and not quantifiable aspects of sleep disturbances. The results also showed that functional health was the lowest in patients with high levels of fatigue, compared to patients with sleep problems only or patients with neither symptom. A regression analysis further showed that the size of the contribution of fatigue onto functional health was twice as much as that of sleep dysfunctions. In conclusion, the results show that (i) dissatisfaction with sleep—and not sleep itself—is related to fatigue symptoms and that (ii) fatigue is particularly detrimental to functional health, regardless of the presence of sleep dysfunctions.

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Effects of Probiotic NVP-1704 on Mental Health and Sleep in Healthy Adults: An 8-Week Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13082660 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. 2660

Author(s):

Hyuk Joo Lee ◽

Jung Kyung Hong ◽

Jeon-Kyung Kim ◽

Dong-Hyun Kim ◽

Seok Won Jang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Gut Microbiota ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Sleep Disturbances ◽

Lactobacillus Reuteri ◽

Healthy Adults ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Microbiota Composition ◽

Bifidobacterium Adolescentis ◽

Gut Microbiota Composition

The human gut microbiome is closely linked to mental health and sleep. We aimed to verify the efficacy and safety of probiotic NVP-1704, a mixture of Lactobacillus reuteri NK33 and Bifidobacterium adolescentis NK98, in improving stress, depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances, along with the measurement of some blood biomarkers. A total of 156 healthy adults with subclinical symptoms of depression, anxiety, and insomnia were retrospectively registered and randomly assigned to receive either NVP-1704 (n = 78) or a placebo (n = 78) for eight weeks. Participants completed the Stress Response Inventory, Beck’s Depression and Anxiety Inventory, Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index, and Insomnia Severity Index at baseline, at four and eight weeks of treatment. Pre- and post-treatment blood tests for biomarkers were conducted. After intervention, gut microbiota composition was quantified by pyrosequencing the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. The NVP-1704 group had a more significant reduction in depressive symptoms at four and eight weeks of treatment, and anxiety symptoms at four weeks compared to the placebo group. Those receiving NVP-1704 also experienced an improvement in sleep quality. NVP-1704 treatment led to a decrease in serum interleukin-6 levels. Furthermore, NVP-1704 increased Bifidobacteriaceae and Lactobacillacea, whereas it decreased Enterobacteriaceae in the gut microbiota composition. Our findings suggest that probiotic NVP-1704 could be beneficial for mental health and sleep.

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Efektivitas Baby Massage Dan Baby Gym Terhadap Kualitas Tidur Bayi Usia 3-6 Bulan

Jurnal SMART Kebidanan ◽

10.34310/sjkb.v8i1.441 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 6

Author(s):

Rose Nurhudariani ◽

Yeni Dwi Ratnasari ◽

Sonhaji Sonhaji ◽

Siti Nur Umariyah Febriyanti

Keyword(s):

Sleep Quality ◽

Sleep Disorders ◽

Sleep Disturbances ◽

Sleep Problems ◽

P Value ◽

Test Design ◽

Quality Of Sleep ◽

Post Test ◽

A Minor

Baby massage dan baby gym adalah upaya untuk meningkatkan kualitas tidur pada bayi. Masalah tidur pada bayi di Indonesia cukup banyak, yaitu sekitar 44,2% bayi mengalami gangguan tidur seperti sering terbangun di malam hari. Namun lebih dari 72% orang tua menganggap gangguan tidur bukan suatu masalah atau hanya masalah kecil, hal tersebut diungkapkan oleh sebuah penelitian pada tahun 2014-2015 yang dilaksanakan di lima kota besar di Indonesia Berdasarkan data awal terdapat 20 bayi yang datang ke posyandu dan ditemukan 17 bayi yang mengalami gangguan tidur. Tujuan penelitian untuk mengetahui efektivitas baby massage dan baby gym terhadap kualitas tidur bayi usia 3-6 bulan di Desa Talang Tegal. Jenis penelitian adalah kuantitatif dengan two group pre and post test design. Sampel sebanyak 34 bayi yang diberikan perlakuan baby massage dan baby gym dilakukan selama 2 minggu 3x seminggu, untuk baby massage 15 menit sedangkan untuk baby gym 5 menit. Terdapat pengaruh baby massage terhadap kualitas tidur bayi usia 3-6 bulan dengan p value 0.000. Terdapat pengaruh baby gym terhadap kualitas tidur bayi usia 3-6 bulan dengan p value 0,001. Tidak terdapat perbedaan efektivitas baby massage dan baby gym terhadap kualitas tidur bayi usia 3 – 6 bulan. Kata kunci : baby gym; baby massage; kualitas tidur bayi The Effectiveness of Baby Massage And Baby Gym on Sleep Quality of 3-6 Months Baby ABSTRACT Baby massage and baby gym are efforts to improve the quality of sleep in babies. There are quite a number of sleep problems in infants in Indonesia, which is around 44.2% of infants experiencing sleep disorders such as frequent awakenings at night. However, more than 72% of parents consider sleep disturbances not a problem or just a minor problem, this was revealed by a 2014-2015 study conducted in five major cities in Indonesia. Based on initial data there were 20 babies who came to the Integrated Healthcare Centre and found 17 babies with sleep disorders. The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of baby massage and baby gym on the sleep quality of baby aged 3-6 months in Talang Tegal Village. This type of research was quantitative with two groups pre-post test design. A sample of 34 babies who were given baby massage and baby gym treatment was carried out for 2 weeks 3 time each week, for baby massage 15 minutes while for baby gym 5 minutes. There is an effect of baby massage on the sleep quality of babies aged 3-6 months with a p value of 0.000. There is an effect of baby gym on the sleep quality of babies aged 3-6 months with a p value of 0.001. There is no difference in the effectiveness of baby massage and baby gym on the sleep quality of babies aged 3-6 months. Keywords: baby gym; baby massages; sleep quality of baby

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Sleep problems are associated with hypersensitivity to touch in children with autism

10.1101/255323 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Tzischinsky Orna ◽

Meiri Gal ◽

Manelis Liora ◽

Bar-Sinai Asif ◽

Fluser Hagit ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sleep Quality ◽

Sleep Disturbance ◽

Sleep Disturbances ◽

Sleep Problems ◽

Children With Autism ◽

Sensory Profile ◽

Control Group ◽

Sensory Abnormalities ◽

Autism Group ◽

Hyper Sensitivity

AbstractBackgroundSensory abnormalities and sleep disturbances are highly prevalent in children with autism, but the potential relationship between these two domains has rarely been explored. Understanding such relationships is important for identifying children with autism who exhibit more homogeneous symptoms.MethodsHere we examined this relationship using the Caregiver Sensory Profile and the children’s sleep habit questionnaires, which were completed by parents of 69 children with autism and 62 frequency age-matched controls.ResultsIn line with previous studies, children with autism exhibited more severe sensory abnormalities and sleep disturbances than age-matched controls. The sleep disturbance scores were strongly associated with touch and oral sensitivities in the autism group and with touch and vestibular sensitivities in the control group. Hyper sensitivity towards touch, in particular, exhibited the strongest relationship with sleep disturbances in the autism group and single-handedly explained 24% of the variance in sleep disturbance scores. In contrast, sensitivity in other sensory domains such as vision and audition was not associated with sleep quality in either group.ConclusionsWhile it is often assumed that sensitivities in all sensory domains are similarly associated with sleep problems, our results suggest that hyper sensitivity towards touch exhibits the strongest relationship to sleep disturbances when examining children autism. We speculate that hyper sensitivity towards touch interferes with sleep onset and maintenance in a considerable number of children with autism who exhibit severe sleep disturbances. Studies that examine the effects of tactile sensory therapies/aids on sleep quality and behavioral improvement in these children are, therefore, highly warranted.

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