Sleep disturbances in autism spectrum disorder without intellectual impairment: relationship with executive function and psychiatric symptoms.

The autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition, frequently accompanied by medical and psychiatric pathology. One of the most commonly found problems associated with ASD is sleep disturbances, which are estimated to affect approximately 80% of the people with ASD, not only during childhood but also in the adolescence and adult stages. Nevertheless, the relationship of these sleep difficulties with autism severity, as well as other associated impairments such as executive functioning and psychiatric disorders (eg, depression), has not yet been widely studied. The main objective of the present study was to explore the relationship between sleep disturbances, subjective measures of executive function, and psychiatric pathology in the ASD population. To reach that goal, a group of 89 participants with ASD (44 children/adolescents and 45 adults) was recruited and evaluated with self-reported measures of executive function performance and psychiatric pathology tests. Multivariate analysis showed a significant association between sleep disturbances and psychiatric symptoms in both ASD groups, with greater sleep disturbances predicting more severe psychiatric pathology. No significant association was found with executive function in any group. Limitations included a small sample size and lack of objective measures. Sleep problems seem to be associated with the severity of psychiatric pathology throughout the lifespan, increasing the chance of developing psychiatric symptoms when they were present. Improving sleep quality in ASD at all ages may result in preventing and/or decreasing psychiatric pathology in this population.

Sueño saludable: evidencias y guías de actuación. Documento oficial de la Sociedad Española de Sueño / Healthy sleep: evidence and guidelines for action. Official document of the Spanish Sleep Society

La Sociedad Española de Sueño tiene como uno de sus principales objetivos la promoción de un sueño saludable en la población general y profesionales de la salud. El presente documento pretende realizar una revisión de la literatura científica actual sobre hábitos de sueño que sirva de fundamento para establecer unas recomendaciones generales y útiles para la población general española, en el contexto de un sueño saludable, e identificar aquellos principales retos en la investigación sobre hábitos de sueño. El desarrollo del documento se ha realizado por un equipo multidisciplinar de miembros de la Sociedad Española de Sueño integrado por expertos en medicina pediátrica del sueño, neurofisiología clínica, neumología, neurología, cronobiología, fisiología y psicología. Se ha procedido a una revisión de la bibliografía científica existente sobre hábitos de sueño en población general, y se han abordado los siguientes aspectos: estado actual de los hábitos de sueño en la población española; revisión genérica de la cantidad óptima de horas de sueño; impacto del entorno ambiental (ruido, temperatura, iluminación...), horarios de sueño, alimentación y deporte; y apartados específicos para niños y adolescentes, trabajadores a turnos y conducción de vehículos. De todos los aspectos abordados a lo largo de este documento, se concluyen unas recomendaciones generales finales que servirán de guía a la población general y profesionales de la salud, así como se discuten los principales retos ambientales y futuras direcciones de investigación (AU)

One of the main objectives of the Spanish Sleep Society is to promote healthy sleep in both the general population and in health professionals. This document aims to conduct a review of the current scientific literature on sleep habits that can serve as the basis on which to establish a set of general recommendations, regarding healthy sleep, for use by the general population in Spain as well as to identify the main challenges faced by research into sleep habits. The document has been developed by a multidisciplinary team made up of members of the Spanish Sleep Society who are experts in paediatric sleep medicine, clinical neurophysiology, pulmonology, neurology, chronobiology, physiology and psychology. The existing scientific literature dealing with sleep habits in the general population was reviewed, and the following aspects were addressed: the current state of sleep habits in the Spanish population; a generic review of the optimum number of hours of sleep; the impact of the environmental setting (noise, temperature, illumination, etc.), hours of sleep, diet and sport, together with several specific sections for children and teenagers, shift-workers and drivers of different vehicles. The conclusions from all the aspects addressed in this document have resulted in a set of final general recommendations that will serve as a guide for the general population and health professionals. Likewise, the principal environmental challenges and future lines of research are also discussed (AU)