Mindfulness interventions during pregnancy: A narrative review / 中西医结合学报

Pregnancy is a period of major transformations in a woman's life; increased stress, and mood and sleep disorders are frequent. This review evaluates mindfulness interventions during pregnancy and their ability to help manage stress, anxiety, depression, emotional regulation, level of mindfulness and sleep quality. A search of English language scientific literature relevant to mindfulness interventions for pregnant women was conducted using PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science, without restriction on publication date. Inclusion criteria were randomized clinical trials with pregnant women, using mindfulness as an intervention for at least three weeks, in one of our main areas of interest, and using only validated scales to measure outcomes. Two hundred and thirty studies were identified in our searches of research databases, and thirteen were included in our analysis. We found a large diversity of mindfulness programs, heterogeneity among the instruments used to evaluate outcomes, and inconsistency in the gestational periods used in the studies. Mindfulness interventions were beneficial for stress, anxiety and depression. Mindfulness was also effective when applied in pregnant women with a history of depression or experiencing depression. Considering emotional regulation and the level of mindfulness, there were signs of improvement, but more studies are needed. None of the studies evaluated sleep quality. Our review provides information about current mindfulness programs, an overview of the effects of mindfulness interventions, a description of the measurements used so far, and recommendations for developing high-quality mindfulness protocols for pregnant women.

Insomnia with Musculoskeletal Pain in Postmenopause: Associations with Symptoms, Mood, and Quality of Life

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between insomnia (INS) combined with chronic musculoskeletal pain (MSP) in postmenopausal women and its characteristics regarding MSP, menopausal and mood symptoms, sleep and quality of life (QOL). METHODS: A cross-sectional control study in 4 groups of postmenopausal women: control (n = 15), MSP (n = 15), INS (n =15) and INS + MSP (n = 17). Sixty-two participants completed questionnaires and had blood collected, and 43 underwent polysomnography. RESULTS: INS was associated with increased anxiety (P = 0.04) and sleep fragmentation (P = 0.02); worse MSP severity (P = 0.00), MSP interference with daily function (P = 0.00), higher pain intensity at midday (P = 0.02) and menopausal symptoms (P = 0.00); and reduced QOL (P = 0.00). MSP was associated with increased anxiety (P = 0.02) and menopausal symptoms (P = 0.00), and reduced QOL (P = 0.05). In the whole sample, depression symptoms were higher but no statistical differences were found between groups (P = 0.47). Worse QOL was associated with both higher depressive symptoms (P = 0.01) and worse pain interference (P = 0.02) CONCLUSIONS: INS + MSP was related to higher menopausal and anxiety symptoms, more sleep fragmentation and complaints of MSP severity and interference, more pain sites and worse QOL. The presence of INS was associated to more MSP. Sleep management is essential in women who have developed chronic MSP.

impact of shift work on Brazilian train drivers with different chronotypes: a comparative analysis through objective and subjective criteria

The aim of this study was to compare sleep pattern, tiredness sensation and quality of life between different chronotypes in train drivers from a Brazilian transportation company. Ninety-one train drivers, working a rotary work schedule including night shift, were divided into three groups according to their chronotype [morning types, intermediate or evening types] and were assessed for their sleep and quality of life, as characterized by a subjective questionnaire and the Psychomotor Vigilance Task [PVT], applied before and immediately after the night shift. The pattern of activity and rest was measured for 10 days by actigraphy, and the chronotype was determined through the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire. Forty-one [45.1%] individuals were classified as morning type, 44 [48.4%] were classified as intermediate and 6 [6.6%] as evening type. The evening types had a tendency to remain awake for a longer period of time before the night shift [p = 0.05] and scored worse overall for quality of life compared to morning types [p = 0.11]. There was no significant difference between the groups regarding variability in the PVT performance, even when covaried by the period of waking time before the test. There was no significant difference either in feelings of fatigue before and after starting the shift. Although the evening type number was small, evening type individuals scored worse relative to sleep and quality of life than morning type individuals

Sleep disorders as a cause of motor vehicle collisions

Studies have shown that a large proportion of traffic accidents around the world are related to inadequate or disordered sleep. Recent surveys have linked driver fatigue to 16% to 20% of serious highway accidents in the UK, Australia, and Brazil. Fatigue as a result of sleep disorders [especially obstructive sleep apnea], excessive workload and lack of physical and mental rest, have been shown to be major contributing factors in motor vehicle accidents. A number of behavioral, physiological, and psychometric tests are being used increasingly to evaluate the impact of fatigue on driver performance. These include the oculography, polysomnography, actigraphy, the maintenance of wakefulness test, and others. Various strategies have been proposed for preventing or reducing the impact of fatigue on motor vehicle accidents. These have included: Educational programs emphasizing the importance of restorative sleep and the need for drivers to recognize the presence of fatigue symptoms, and to determine when to stop to sleep; The use of exercise to increase alertness and to promote restorative sleep; The use of substances or drugs to promote sleep or alertness [i.e. caffeine, modafinil, melatonin and others], as well as specific sleep disorders treatment; The use of CPAP therapy for reducing excessive sleepiness among drivers who have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea. The evidence cited in this review justifies the call for all efforts to be undertaken that may increase awareness of inadequate sleep as a cause of traffic accidents. It is strongly recommended that, for the purpose of promoting highway safety and saving lives, all disorders that cause excessive sleepiness should be investigated and monitored