Changes in sleep and psychological characteristics of patients with insomnia under exposure to noise pollution / 中风与神经疾病杂志

ABSTRACT

@#Objective Exposure to nocturnal traffic noise at the same levels can produce different effects on sleep and psychological health in different populations. This study compared the electroencephalographic characteristics during sleep of people with insomnia and those with normal sleep quality under the same levels of nocturnal traffic noise exposure to elucidate the different effects of noise pollution on different populations,and to provide individualized precise treatment plans for people with insomnia who are sensitive to noise pollution. Methods We selected people who lived near highways,railways,and aircraft routes for more than six months where noise levels were relatively fixed(50-60 decibels,10-15 seconds per time) during the nighttime sleep period (22:00-6:00). We included 26 people with normal sleep quality and 30 people with insomnia based on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) were administered. Polysomnography (PSG) was used to monitor the spindle density index during sleep. The sleep quality and psychological status of the two groups were compared. Results There were no significant differences in demographic characteristics between the two groups under the same nocturnal noise exposure conditions. The incidence of anxiety and depression was significantly lower in the people with normal sleep quality than in those with insomnia(P<0.01). Among the 26 people with normal sleep quality,5(19.23%) had mild anxiety,and no one had moderate to severe anxiety or depression. Among the 30 people with insomnia,6(20.00%) had mild anxiety,15 (50.00%) had moderate anxiety,and 4(13.33%) had severe anxiety;3(10.00%) had mild depression,9(30.00%) had moderate depression,and 3(10%) had severe depression. PSG showed that the sleep spindle index of the normal sleep group was significantly higher than that of the insomnia group(25.43 vs 16.60,P<0.05),with no significant differences in the average duration of sleep spindles during sleep between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion Under the same levels of nocturnal traffic noise exposure,people with insomnia have a higher incidence of anxiety and depression than people with normal sleep quality. Patients with insomnia with a reduced spindle density index have worse sleep quality under exposure to noise pollution.