Dream habits in a large cohort of preteens and their relation to sleep and nocturnal awakenings.

The present study examined dream habits, and their relation to sleep patterns, in 1151 preteens (597 boys; 554 girls; 11.31 ± 0.62 years old). Dream questionnaires assessed the frequency of dream recall, nightmare, and lucid dream, as well as the intensity of emotions experienced in dreams. Sleep variables included sleep duration and efficiency, but also different measurements of nocturnal awakenings. Among the preteens, 49.21% of them reported that they recalled dreams several times a week or almost every morning over the past few months. In addition, 52.00% of the preteens reported that they experienced nightmares, and 45.48% lucid dreams, less than once a month or never over the past few months. No gender differences were observed in dream variables. Nocturnal awakenings were linked to all dream variables, while sleep duration and sleep efficiency were related to nightmare frequency and emotions in dreams. Importantly, sleep duration and sleep efficiency were not associated with dream recall nor lucid dream frequency, with Bayesian analyses supporting the null hypothesis. These findings offer a comprehensive understanding of preteens' dreams and their connection to key sleep aspects.

Sleep disruption and sleep position: Increased wake frequency in supine predicts lateral position preference.

Little is known about the physiological and biomechanical factors that determine individual preferences in lying posture during sleep. This study investigated relationships between position preference and position-specific arousals, awakenings, limb movements and limb movement arousals to explore the mechanisms by which biomechanical factors influence position preference. Forty-one mature-aged adults underwent 2 nights of at-home polysomnography ~2 weeks apart, on a standardised firm foam mattress, measuring nocturnal sleep architecture and position. The lateral supine ratio and restlessness indices specific to lateral and supine positions including limb movement index, limb movement arousal index, arousal index, wake index, respiratory arousal index and apnea-hypopnea index were calculated and analysed via linear mixed-effects regression. In the supine position, all restlessness indices were significantly increased compared with the lateral position, including a 379% increase in respiratory arousals (ß = 7.0, p < 0.001), 108% increase in arousal index (ß = 10.3, p < 0.001) and 107% increase in wake index (ß = 2.5, p < 0.001). Wake index in the supine position increased significantly with more lateral sleep (ß = 1.9, p = 0.0013), and significant correlation between lateral supine ratio polysomnography 1 and lateral supine ratio polysomnography 2 (ß = 0.95, p < 0.001) indicated strong consistency in sleep preference. Overall, the findings suggest that some individuals have low tolerance to supine posture, represented by a comparatively high wake index in the supine position, and that these individuals compensate by sleeping a greater proportion in the lateral position.

Temporal dynamics of awakenings from slow-wave sleep in non-rapid eye movement parasomnia.

Non-rapid eye movement parasomnia disorders, also called disorders of arousal, are characterized by abnormal nocturnal behaviours, such as confusional arousals or sleep walking. Their pathophysiology is not yet fully understood, and objective diagnostic criteria are lacking. It is known, however, that behavioural episodes occur mostly in the beginning of the night, after an increase in slow-wave activity during slow-wave sleep. A better understanding of the prospect of such episodes may lead to new insights in the underlying mechanisms and eventually facilitate objective diagnosis. We investigated temporal dynamics of transitions from slow-wave sleep of 52 patients and 79 controls. Within the patient group, behavioural and non-behavioural N3 awakenings were distinguished. Patients showed a higher probability to wake up after an N3 bout ended than controls, and this probability increased with N3 bout duration. Bouts longer than 15 min resulted in an awakening in 73% and 34% of the time in patients and controls, respectively. Behavioural episodes reduced over sleep cycles due to a reduction in N3 sleep and a reducing ratio between behavioural and non-behavioural awakenings. In the first two cycles, N3 bouts prior to non-behavioural awakenings were significantly shorter than N3 bouts advancing behavioural awakenings in patients, and N3 awakenings in controls. Our findings provide insights in the timing and prospect of both behavioural and non-behavioural awakenings from N3, which may result in prediction and potentially prevention of behavioural episodes. This work, moreover, leads to a more complete characterization of a prototypical hypnogram of parasomnias, which could facilitate diagnosis.

Sex hormone dose escalation for treating abnormal sleep in ovariectomized rats: in vitro GABA synthesis in sleep-related brain areas.

No data in the literature have evaluated sex hormone dose escalation for treating abnormal sleep of ovariectomized rats-nor studies on the role of sex hormones in GABA synthesis of rats' sleep-related areas. The main aim of this study was to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of estradiol (ET), progesterone (PT), and the mixture of both (EPT) to restore normal sleep in a model of menopause in rats. The second purpose was to describe the in vitro activity of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) in sleep-related brain areas in the presence or absence of sex hormones. A weekly dose-escalation design of ET, PT, or EPT was implemented in ovariectomized rats (six per group). Dose escalation continued until the dose at which 100% of the rats exhibited a state of "complete somnolence." Doses that were not toxic or did not show side effects were considered. For in vitro experiments, sleep-related brain areas were separated and incubated with radiolabeled glutamate. Estradiol (17ß-E2), progesterone (P), and pyridoxal phosphate (PLP) were added to this assay, and GAD activity was determined. Under the same conditions, a second test was carried out, but the P antagonist RU486 was added to assess the role of P in GAD activity. Ovariectomy increased periodic awakenings compared to those determined for the SHAM group. The EPT for ovariectomized rats was very effective by the fifth week in decreasing arousal and achieving a similar sleep behavior to the SHAM-control group. Rats tolerated the ET, PT, and EPT well to the maximum planned dose (0.66 mg/kg and 4.4 mg/kg, respectively). No lethal events occurred; the MTD was reached. The in vitro studies indicated that the presence of 17ß-E2 plus P in the assay triggered the activity of isotype 65 GAD in all the studied brain areas. RU486 in the incubation medium blocked such activity; however, the action of isotype 67 GAD was not blocked by RU486. A dose-escalation model was determined; the MTD coincided with the maximum dose of ET and PT used. However, the EPT combination restored normal sleep in the menopause model compared to the SHAMs without toxic effects. The in vitro model demonstrated that 17ß-E2 plus P presence in the assay increased the activity of GAD65 in the studied brain tissues.

The Role of Supplements and Over-the-Counter Products to Improve Sleep in Children: A Systematic Review.

The sleep-wake cycle is a complex multifactorial process involving several neurotransmitters, including acetylcholine, norepinephrine, serotonin, histamine, dopamine, orexin and GABA, that can be, in turn, regulated by different nutrients involved in their metabolic pathways. Although good sleep quality in children has been proven to be a key factor for optimal cognitive, physical and psychological development, a significant and ever-increasing percentage of the pediatric population suffers from sleep disorders. In children, behavioral interventions along with supplements are recommended as the first line treatment. This systematic review was conducted, according to the PRISMA guidelines, with the purpose of assessing the principal nutrients involved in the pathways of sleep-regulating neurotransmitters in children and adolescents. Our focus was the utilization of over the counter (OTC) products, specifically iron, hydroxytryptophan, theanine and antihistamines in the management of different pediatric sleep disorders with the intention of providing a practical guide for the clinician.

Associations Between Objective Sleep Behaviors and Blood Glucose Variability in Young Children With Type 1 Diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Young children with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) are at risk for extreme blood glucose variability, a risk factor for suboptimal glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and long-term health complications. We know that a reciprocal relationship exists between sleep and glycemic outcomes in older youth with T1D; however, little research has examined objective sleep in young children (<7 years) with T1D. PURPOSE: This study examines bidirectional associations between sleep behaviors and glycemic variability in young children with T1D. METHODS: Thirty-nine young children with T1D (Mage 4.33 ± 1.46 years; MHbA1c 8.10 ± 1.06%) provided accelerometry data to objectively measure sleep onset latency, number of nighttime awakenings, and total sleep time. We also assessed HbA1c, average blood glucose, and glycemic variability (i.e., standard deviation of blood glucose from device downloads). We evaluated bidirectional relationships using multilevel modeling in SAS, with weekday/weekend as a Level 2 moderator. RESULTS: Children averaged 8.5 ± 1.44 hr of sleep per night, but only 12.8% met current sleep recommendations. Children experienced more nighttime awakenings, higher blood glucose, and more glycemic variability on weekends. Sleep onset latency and nighttime awakenings predicted greater glycemic variability on weekends, and weekend glycemic variability predicted increased nighttime awakenings. CONCLUSIONS: Most young children with T1D did not meet sleep recommendations. Young children experienced more nighttime awakenings, higher blood glucose, and increased glycemic variability on weekends only, when routines may be less predictable. Findings suggest that one way families of young children with T1D may be able to decrease glycemic variability is to keep consistent routines on weekdays and weekends.

How do infants and toddlers sleep in Spain? A cross-sectional study.

There is limited information on sleep patterns among infants and toddlers in Spain. The aim of this study was to assess sleep patterns in children three to 36 months of age in Spain. A cross-sectional study was conducted between February 2017 and February 2018. Sociodemographic data and sleep variables were collected using an expanded version of the validated Spanish version of the brief infant sleep questionnaire. A total of 1,404 parental reports on children (725 males; 679 females) with a mean age of 18.8 ± 9.5 months were collected. Parents who perceived their child's sleep as problematic (39% of our sample) reported fewer sleep hours (median 9 versus 10 h), more night awakenings (median 2 versus 1), and longer periods of nocturnal awakenings (median 0.5 versus 0.08 min) (p < 0.001). Parental presence at the time of sleep onset and later and irregular bedtime routines were significantly associated with a reduction in total sleep time, longer sleep latency, and disruptive night awakenings (p < 0.001). These findings highlight the need for further studies to assess how to improve sleep patterns as a relevant modifiable lifestyle factor.Conclusion: A substantial percentage of the population perceived that their children slept poorly, which was evident in a variety of sleep patterns, including sleep duration and sleep quality. What is known: • Previous research has established that sleep difficulties among pediatric population affect up to 30% of all children and up to 20-30% of infants and toddlers. • A positive relationship between less parental bedtime involvement and sleep consolidation in infants and toddlers has been established. What is new: • More than a third of Spanish parents perceived their infants and toddlers sleep as problematic and their children reportedly have shorter night sleep hours, more night awakenings, and longer periods of nocturnal awakenings. • Later and irregular parental bedtime routines were associated with worst infants and toddlers sleep.

Insomnia in Tinnitus Patients: A Prospective Study Finding a Significant Relationship.

Tinnitus is a highly prevalent medical disorder occurring in 10-30% of the general population. This disorder often becomes chronic and severe effecting quality of life contributing to significant psychiatric consequences; one that we have written about recently is comorbid insomnia. The latter can predispose effected persons to depressive episodes and a worsening of their total functioning. We have reported in the past that comorbid insomnia occurs in 10-80% of tinnitus patients with most reports finding over a 40% frequency. Unfortunately, these prior studies tended to evaluate only insomnia as a symptom and not as a diagnosis; therefore its seriousness and implications could not be assessed. Furthermore, most studies utilized only open-ended questionnaires with many being sent via the mail. Our study evaluated 72 tinnitus patients who were prospectively evaluated over the telephone for a tinnitus treatment study program at our center focusing on possible co-morbid insomnia symptoms as well as whether the insomnia satisfied a diagnosis with its accompanying dysfunctional state. The interview included questions regard a full range of questions assessing sleep onset, sleep continuity, early morning awakening, sleep duration as well as daytime consequences necessary for a diagnosis of insomnia. We found that not only were insomnia symptoms highly prevalent, but 60% of the tinnitus sample met strict diagnostic criteria (DSM-IV-TR) of insomnia secondary to a general medical condition, i.e., tinnitus. Alarmingly, only 4 % were being treated for their insomnia. In addition, our data suggests that tinnitus patients with co-morbid insomnia have a more severe form of tinnitus and thus, may need further care and treatment.

The effect of dream report collection and dream incorporation on memory consolidation during sleep.

Collecting dream reports typically requires waking subjects up from their sleep-a method that has been used to study the relationship between dreams and memory consolidation. However, it is unclear whether these awakenings influence sleep-associated memory consolidation processes. Furthermore, it is unclear how the incorporation of the learning task into dreams is related to memory consolidation. In this study we compared memory performance in a word-picture association learning task after a night with and without awakenings in 22 young and healthy participants. We then examined if the stimuli from the learning task are successfully incorporated into dreams, and if this incorporation is related to the task performance the next morning. We show that while the awakenings impaired both subjective and objective sleep quality, they did not affect sleep-associated memory consolidation. When dreams were collected during the night by awakenings, memories of the learning task were successfully incorporated into dreams. When dreams were collected in the morning, no incorporations were detected. Task incorporation into non-rapid eye movement sleep dreams, but not rapid eye movement sleep dreams positively predicted memory performance the next morning. We conclude that the method of awakenings to collect dream reports is suitable and necessary for dream and memory studies. Furthermore, our study suggests that dreams in non-rapid eye movement rather than rapid eye movement sleep might be related to processes of memory consolidation during sleep.

"What Hath Night to Do with Sleep?": The Caregiving Context and Dementia Caregivers' Nighttime Awakenings.

OBJECTIVES: Care provision for persons with dementia can be rewarding yet may disrupt caregiver's sleep health. Using the National Health & Aging Trends Study and the National Study of Caregiving, we examine care receiver and caregiver contextual factors, caregiver health and psychological wellbeing as predictors of caregivers' nighttime awakenings. METHODS: The sample for this cross-sectional study included 451 caregivers for individuals with dementia surveyed by telephone. RESULTS: Nighttime awakenings (1 item measure of waking and not being able to return to sleep) almost every night were reported by 16% of caregivers and 10% reported that helping the care receiver caused their sleep to be interrupted most nights. In a multinomial logistic regression, caregivers' greater nighttime awakenings were associated with caring for care recipients with higher fall risk, as well as caregiver characteristics of more chronic medical conditions and emotional difficulty of the care role. CONCLUSIONS: Emotional caregiving difficulties were associated with nighttime awakenings even accounting for caregivers' health and care receivers' disability. Thus, interventions improving caregiver distress may improve sleep health. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Clinicians should screen caregivers for nighttime awakenings so that evidence-based interventions and treatments can be implemented to prevent persistent sleep disturbances.

Early Childhood Sleep Patterns and Cognitive Development at Age 6 Years: The Generation R Study.

Objective: To explore the association of sleep duration and awakening frequency with cognitive outcomes in young children. Methods: Mothers of 2,800 children from the Generation R cohort reported sleep duration and awakenings at children's age 24 months. At age 6 years, validated Dutch measures were used to assess children's nonverbal intelligence and language comprehension. Results: We found a nonlinear association of total sleep time at 24 months with nonverbal intelligence ( p = 0.03) and language comprehension ( p = 0.04) at 6 years. Toddlers sleeping within the recommended 11-14 hr had more favorable cognitive development compared with both extremes. Frequent awakenings were negatively associated with nonverbal intelligence, but not with verbal comprehension. Conclusion: Sleep duration in toddlerhood has an inverted-U-shaped relation with childhood cognitive measures. Frequent awakenings are associated with lower nonverbal intelligence. Given the marked decline in sleep duration and awakenings in toddlerhood, developmental changes of sleep patterns might be important for cognitive development.

Macronutrient Intakes in Infancy Are Associated with Sleep Duration in Toddlerhood.

BACKGROUND: Dietary composition has been associated with sleep indexes. However, most of the evidence is based on cross-sectional data, and studies in young children are lacking. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the longitudinal associations of macronutrient composition of the diet with sleep duration and consolidation (number of awakenings) in infancy and early childhood. METHODS: The study was performed in 3465 children from the Generation R Study, a population-based cohort study in the Netherlands. Mothers reported their child's food intake at 13 mo of age by using a validated food-frequency questionnaire and their child's sleep patterns at 2 and 3 y of age. We used nutrient substitution models to assess the associations of relative macronutrient intakes with sleep indexes and adjusted the models for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. RESULTS: Isocaloric substitution of fat intake by protein or carbohydrate in infancy was associated with longer total sleep duration at 2 but not 3 y of age. For each 5% increase in energy intake of either protein or carbohydrate at the expense of fat, sleep duration at 2 y of age was longer by 6 min (95% CI: 0.4, 12 min) and 4 min (95% CI: 2, 6 min), respectively. Further exploration of macronutrient subtypes indicated no consistent differences between saturated or unsaturated fat and that intake of plant compared with animal protein or Trp did not explain the association of higher total protein intake with longer sleep duration at 2 y of age. Replacing unsaturated with saturated fat was associated with 7 min (95% CI: -13, -1 min) shorter total sleep duration at 3 y of age. Macronutrient intakes were not associated with sleep consolidation. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the macronutrient composition of the diet is associated with sleep duration in young children. Future research should further study the causality of this association and explore the underlying mechanisms.

Gender-specific factors associated with shorter sleep duration at age 3 years.

Total sleep duration has been decreasing among children in the last decades. Short sleep duration (SSD) has been associated with deleterious health consequences, such as excess weight/obesity. Risk factors for SSD have already been studied among school-aged children and adolescents, but inconsistent results have been reported regarding possible gender differences. Studies reporting such relationships are scarce in preschoolers, despite the importance of this period for adopting healthy behaviour. We aimed to investigate factors associated with SSD in 3-year-old boys (n = 546) and girls (n = 482) in a French Mother-Child Cohort (EDEN Study). Children were born between 2003 and 2006 in two French university hospitals. Clinical examinations and parent self-reported questionnaires allowed us to collect sociodemographic (e.g. income, education, family situation, child-minding system), maternal [e.g. body mass index (BMI), parity, depression, breastfeeding duration] and child's characteristics (e.g. gender, birth weight, term, physical activity and TV viewing duration, food consumption, usual sleep time). Sleep duration/24-h period was calculated and SSD was defined as <12 h. Analyses were performed using logistic regression. The mean sleep duration was 12 h 35 ± 56 min, with 91% of the children napping. Patterns of risk factors associated with SSD differed according to gender. In addition to parental presence when falling asleep, short sleep duration was associated strongly positively with high BMI Z-score and TV viewing duration among boys and with familial home child-minding and lower scores on the 'fruits and vegetables' dietary pattern among girls. These results suggest either a patterning of parental behaviours that differs according to gender, or a gender-specific sleep physiology, or both.

Establishment and consolidation of the sleep-wake cycle as a function of attachment pattern.

The development of sleep-wake regulation in infants depends upon brain maturation as well as various environmental factors. The aim of the present study was to evaluate sleep duration and quality as a function of child attachment to the mother. One hundred and thirty-four mother-child dyads enrolled in the Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability and Neurodevelopment (MAVAN) project were included in this study. Attachment was assessed with the Strange Situation procedure at 36 months and maternal sleep reports were collected at 6, 12, 24 and 36 months. Differences in sleep characteristics were assessed with mixed models with one factor (attachment group) and one repeated measure (age). Children classified as disorganized had a significantly lower duration of nocturnal sleep, went to bed later, signaled more awakenings, had shorter periods of uninterrupted sleep (only at 12 months) and had shorter periods of time in bed (only at 6 months) than children classified as secure and/or ambivalent (p < 0.05). This is the first study to show that children with insecure disorganized attachment present a distinct sleep pattern in comparison with those with secure or ambivalent attachment between 6 and 36 months of age. Sleep disturbances could exacerbate difficulties in these families that are already considered vulnerable.

Children's nocturnal awakenings and sleep duration during the first two years of life in the NASCITA cohort study.

PURPOSE: Previous studies have analyzed the characteristics and prevalence of sleep disturbances among Italian children. Less attention has been paid, however, to the factors involved in sleep disturbances in the first two years of life. The goals of the present study were, therefore: 1) to provide a developmental trajectory of Italian infants' night awakenings and duration during the first two years of life and 2) to analyze which factors affect night awakenings the most over time. METHODS: Data for this study were collected in the NASCITA cohort. During the well-child visits conducted at 6, 12, and 24 months, pediatricians asked parents to report if the child had any sleep disturbances, especially frequent night awakenings. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to test the association between child and family variables and the likelihood of frequent awakenings. RESULTS: 2973 toddlers, out of 5054 initially enrolled newborns, were included in this study; 875 (29.4 %) of whom presented frequent awakenings in at least one visit (peak of prevalence of 19.8 % at 12 months). Bed-sharing (adjusted OR 2.53; 95%CI:2.05-3.12) and living in the northern Italy (aOR 2.25; 95%CI:1.80-2.81) were the variables more strongly associated with an increased likelihood of frequent awakenings in the binomial logistic regression, while sleeping alone was associated with a decreased chance (aOR 0.62; 95%CI 0.45-0.89). A short sleep duration (<11 h/day) was reported for 801 (26.9 %) at 12 months, for 743 (25.0 %) at 24 months of age; in 383 cases, the short sleep duration was reported at both time points. An association was observed between frequent awakenings at 12 or 24 months and short sleep duration (OR 1.23; 95%CI 1.05-1.44 -ꭓ2 6.25, p = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: The current study identified some early predictors of frequent awakenings during the first two years of life. Since optimal sleep practices in children are essential for their development, effective, early interventions must be defined and integrated into pediatric care practices.

Melinjo (Gnetum gnemon L.) seed extract for treatment of sleep/wake fragmentation in diet-induced obese mice.

Dietary supplementation with melinjo (Gnetum gnemon L.) seed extract (MSE) has been an integral part of an anti-obesity therapeutic regimen. To examine the relationship between anti-obesity and sleep, we explored the effect of MSE on sleep structure in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. Although HFD did not alter the total amount of daily sleep, it significantly reduced the average duration of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and wakefulness episodes and significantly increased the number of these episodes. These findings indicate fragmented NREM sleep due to repeated brief awakenings in the HFD-fed mice. When 1% (w/v) MSE was given to HFD-fed mice, their weight or sleep structure were comparable to those of ND-fed mice, proving that dietary MSE completely hindered HFD-induced weight gain and sleep/wake fragmentation. Our data provide compelling evidence that MSE is a novel and promising dietary supplement that restores obesity-induced sleep architecture changes in mice.

Effect of Peanut Butter Intake on Sleep Health in Firefighters: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Sleep is often impaired in firefighters due to the psychologically and physiologically intense nature of their work and working shift schedules. Peanut butter is affordable and a substantial source of monounsaturated fatty acids, which may aid sleep health. Thus, this study sought to determine if a daily serving of peanut butter consumed before bedtime for seven weeks altered sleep quality and quantity among full-time firefighters. Forty firefighters (peanut butter group = 20; control group = 20) participated in this eight-week randomized controlled trial. All participants completed a subjective questionnaire on mood, focus, and alertness twice daily and wore an Actigraph wristwatch to measure sleep variables, including latency, efficiency, time in bed, time asleep, wake after sleep onset, number of awakenings, and time spent awake. After a baseline week, the peanut butter group consumed two tablespoons of peanut butter two hours prior to bedtime for seven weeks. Compared to the control group, the peanut butter group did not demonstrate significant changes (p > 0.05) in sleep measures or subjective feelings of mood, focus, or alertness after consuming peanut butter for seven weeks. Therefore, peanut butter as a source of peanuts did not alter sleep quality or quantity in this group of firefighters.

Sleep characteristics, early spontaneous movements, and developmental functioning in preterm infants in the early postnatal period.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the following: (i) sleep characteristics in preterm infants at 9-20 weeks of corrected age, and (ii) differences in early spontaneous movements and developmental functioning results between the groups based on some sleep characteristics. METHODS: Seventy-four preterm infants (36 female) were included. Sleep characteristics were assessed according to the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire (BISQ). The infants were divided into two groups based on total sleep duration: less than 12 h (38 infants), and 12 h and more (36 infants). Video recordings were made for the General Movements Assessment (GMA) and evaluated using the Motor Optimality Score for 3- to 5-Month-Old-Infants-Revised (MOS). Cognitive, language, and motor development were assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley-III). RESULTS: The total sleep duration of all preterm infants (mean ± SD) was 11.8 ± 3.3 h. Infants who had absent fidgety movements slept less than 12 h, and fidgety movements differed between the groups (p = 0.012). Infants who slept 12 h or more had significantly higher MOS (p = 0.041), cognitive (p = 0.002), language (p < 0.001), and motor (p = 0.002) development results. Infants who snored had lower MOS (p = 0.001), cognitive (p = 0.004), language (p = 0.002), and motor (p = 0.001) development results. Infants with fewer than three nocturnal awakenings had significantly higher Bayley-III cognitive (p = 0.007), language (p = 0.032), and motor (p = 0.005) domain results. Prone and supine sleeping positions showed higher motor domain results than lateral positions (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Sleep in preterm infants might be a key factor in early developmental functioning processes and nervous system integrity. Even in the first months of life, there are substantial differences in cognitive, language, and motor development in association with sleep characteristics.

Sleep Quality and Bariatric Surgery-Can We Treat Sleep Disturbances and Insomnia in Patients with Obesity with Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy?

Introduction: Bariatric surgery is the mainstay of treatment of obesity, with a proven, long-lasting effect on body weight reduction and remission of co-morbidities. Sleep disorders, including insomnia, and deteriorated sleep quality and duration are associated with obesity, and a reduction in body weight can be associated with a reduction in prevalence of sleep disorders. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) on the prevalence and intensity of different sleep disturbances. Methods: This observational prospective study included 80 patients qualified for bariatric surgery who filled in a questionnaire with a set of structured questions about different sleep disturbances, such as difficulties in falling asleep, night awakenings, early morning awakenings, snoring, and nightmares, as well as eating at night and daytime dysfunction, supplemented with Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), before and 6 months after bariatric surgery. Results: There was a statistically significant reduction in incidence of night awakenings, with 40.00% of participants reporting night awakenings before surgery and, respectively, 25.00% after surgery. A significant reduction was also observed in the rate of patients who reported snoring, with 60.00% before the surgery and 38.75% after the surgery (p < 0.05). There was a correlation present between estimated weight loss % (EWL%) and reduction in snoring (p < 0.05). The mean total AIS score before surgery was 7.21 and 5.99 after surgery, and the change was statistically significant (p < 0.05). A total AIS score of 8 or more, the cutoff score for insomnia diagnosis according to the Polish validation of the Athens Insomnia Scale, was present in 44.16% of cases before surgery and in 38.00% after surgery (p = 0.52). There was a significant difference in the incidence of awakening during the night score before and after surgery (p < 0.05; CI 0.022-0.341), sleep quality (p < 0.05; CI 0.0105-0.4311), well-being during the day (p < 0.05; CI 0.0273-0.4143), and sleepiness during the day (p < 0.05; CI 0.101-0.444). Conclusions: LSG is observed to have a positive effect on selected sleep disturbances and insomnia remission in patients with obesity, measured by a significant reduction in Athens Insomnia Scale scores in follow-up 6 months after surgery. Additionally, patients after bariatric surgery reported less night awakenings and there was a lower rate of snoring. Therefore, LSG can be considered an effective therapeutic tool for insomnia in patients with obesity.

Longitudinal associations between parent, child, family factors and dyssomnias in children from birth to 8 years: The CIKEO study.

BACKGROUND: Dyssomnias, are the most common parent-reported sleep complaints in young children. The present study investigated the prevalence, one-year development (incidence and persistence) of dyssomnia in early childhood, and the parent, child, and family factors associated with dyssomnia. METHODS: Longitudinal data of 700 children aged 0-8, gathered in the CIKEO cohort study in the Netherlands were analyzed. Dyssomnias were defined as the presence of night awakenings ≥3 times per night or sleep-onset latency of >30 min. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) was used to identify the parental, child, and family factors associated with the incidence and persistence of dyssomnias in children. RESULTS: The mean age of the children (47 % girls) was 3.2 ± 1.9 years at baseline and 4.4 ± 1.8 years at follow-up. The prevalence of dyssomnias was 13.3 % and 15.4 % at baseline and follow-up, respectively. The incidence and persistence rates of dyssomnias at follow-up were 12.0 % and 37.6 %, respectively. New incidence of insomnia was associated with being a girl, having medical conditions, experiencing stressful life events, and lower parenting self-efficacy at baseline (P < 0.05). Higher levels of parental psychological distress were associated with the persistence of dyssomnias in children (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Dyssomnias are common with a moderate persistent rate in young children. Several parental, child, and family factors in relation to the incidence and persistence of dyssomnias were identified. Preventive programs and interventions targeting modifiable factors, particularly parental psychological distress, parenting self-efficacy, and resilience to stressful life events, might benefit child sleep.