Reflexology and polysomnography: Changes in cerebral wave activity induced by reflexology promote N1 and N2 sleep stages.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have shown the effectiveness of reflexology in different health problems as well as obtaining a high degree of relaxation during its application. A previous study suggested a possible relation between the relaxation obtained during the reflexology session and the sleep. However, the design of the study did not provide evidence for this hypothesis. In this study, we use a polysomnogram to investigate the effects during its application. METHOD: Prospective experimental study conducted in a sleep laboratory. Twelve healthy adults were enrolled. Two groups were created based on whether or not they had knowledge of reflexology. Reflexology was applied for 35 min and their sleep effects were measured by means of polysomnography. A descriptive and bivariate analysis was performed. A bivariate analysis conducted through chi-square test or ANOVA was considered appropriate. RESULTS: After controlling for baseline data, nine of the participants did move toward N1 (p = 0.833) and N2 (p = 0.227) stages, remaining in these states between 4 min and 25.5 min. No significant differences were found between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The application of reflexology induces changes in the activity of brain waves in correspondence with the appearance of a high degree of sleepiness and sleep (N1 and N2 NREM sleep). There is a gradual transition and an orderly progression from wakefulness to sleep, which could explain the effects of relaxation and well being obtained with this method, as well as many other benefits.

Calendario de sueño combinado con la escala de somnolencia de Stanford. Una mayor aproximación al estudio del ritmo circadiano sueño-vigilia / Sleep log combined with the Stanford sleepiness scale. A greater approximation to the sleep-wake circadian rhythm

Para la evaluación de los ritmos circadianos y sus trastornos los estudios polisomnográficos son costosos y laboriosos y los estudios actigráficos poco concretos. Un calendario de sueño puede aportar abundante información objetiva y subjetiva. Se describe la estructura de un calendario de sueño que se combina con la escala de somnolencia de Stanford y que está basado en el diseñado por Metrodesign Associates-Charles Pollak. Se comenta el análisis numérico y gráfico y se describe el "corredor de máxima vigilia" y las "zonas de tendencia al sueño"; se concluye que con estos análisis se obtiene información acerca del tiempo de sueño que ha precisado cada persona día a día, del ritmo circadiano sueño-somnolencia-vigilia, de la latencia para conseguir la máxima vigilia (inercia de sueño), del promedio de la somnolencia, de los promedios correspondientes a tiempo de acostarse, latencia de sueño, número de despertamientos, hora final de despertar, de levantarse, tiempo total de sueño nocturno, tiempo que ha precisado para estar plenamente vigil tras el inicio del sueño y número y duración de las siestas. Todo ello permite conocer las horas más probables de máxima vigilia y de máxima tendencia al sueño y sirve de base para aconsejar la hora aproximada en que se debe iniciar y terminar el sueño de forma espontánea y adecuada al propio ritmo circadiano. Se comenta su posible utilidad individual y colectiva (AU)

In order to evaluate circadian rhythms and their disorders polysomnographic studies are expensive and time wasting and actigraphic studies are not specific. A sleep log can bring plenty of subjective and objective information.We describe the structure of a sleep log which is combined with the Stanford Sleepiness Scale and is based on the one designed by Metrodesign Associates-Charles Pollak. We comment both numeric and graphic analysis and describe the "maximum wakefulness corridor" and the "sleep trend zones" concluding that with these analysis we can get information about the day by day needed individual sleep time, the sleep-sleepiness-wake circadian rhythm, and the means related to maximum wakefulness latency (sleep inertia), sleepiness value, bedtime, sleep latency, number of awakenings, final wake up time, get up time, total nocturnal sleep time, time needed to become fully awake after sleep onset and number of siestas and their length. All these data allow knowing the most probable maximum alertness hours and the most probable maximum tendency to sleep hours and set the basis to recommend the approximate sleep and wake time in an spontaneous form and according to the own circadian rhythm. The possible individual and collective utility is commented (AU)