An exploration into the relationship between insomnia and repetitive negative thinking among cancer survivors.

OBJECTIVE: Insomnia and repetitive negative thinking (RNT) are both prevalent among cancer survivors, yet little work has investigated their interrelationship. To explore the hypothesis that RNT and insomnia are related, we conducted secondary analyses on data from a pilot clinical trial of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) for cancer survivors. METHODS: This study analyzed survey data from 40 cancer survivors with insomnia who participated in a pilot randomized trial of CBT-I. Correlations and linear regression models were used to determine associations between aspects of RNT and related constructs (fear of cancer recurrence [FCR], cancer-specific rumination, worry, and intolerance of uncertainty) and sleep (insomnia and sleep quality), while accounting for psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety and depression. Treatment-related change in RNT was examined using a series of linear mixed models. RESULTS: Evidence for an association between RNT and insomnia among cancer survivors emerged. Higher levels of FCR and cancer-related rumination were correlated with more severe insomnia symptoms and worse sleep quality. Notably, FCR levels predicted insomnia, even after controlling for anxiety and depression. Results identified potential benefits and limitations of CBT-I in addressing RNT that should be examined more thoroughly in future research. CONCLUSIONS: RNT is a potential target to consider in insomnia treatment for cancer survivors.

Alterations of pain pathways by experimental sleep disturbances in humans: central pain-inhibitory, cyclooxygenase, and endocannabinoid pathways.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: There is strong evidence that sleep disturbances are an independent risk factor for the development of chronic pain conditions. The mechanisms underlying this association, however, are still not well understood. We examined the effect of experimental sleep disturbances (ESDs) on three pathways involved in pain initiation/resolution: (1) the central pain-inhibitory pathway, (2) the cyclooxygenase (COX) pathway, and (3) the endocannabinoid (eCB) pathway. METHODS: Twenty-four healthy participants (50% females) underwent two 19-day long in-laboratory protocols in randomized order: (1) an ESD protocol consisting of repeated nights of short and disrupted sleep with intermittent recovery sleep; and (2) a sleep control protocol consisting of nights with an 8-hour sleep opportunity. Pain inhibition (conditioned pain modulation, habituation to repeated pain), COX-2 expression at monocyte level (lipopolysaccharide [LPS]-stimulated and spontaneous), and eCBs (arachidonoylethanolamine, 2-arachidonoylglycerol, docosahexaenoylethanolamide [DHEA], eicosapentaenoylethanolamide, docosatetraenoylethanolamide) were measured every other day throughout the protocol. RESULTS: The central pain-inhibitory pathway was compromised by sleep disturbances in females, but not in males (p < 0.05 condition × sex effect). The COX-2 pathway (LPS-stimulated) was activated by sleep disturbances (p < 0.05 condition effect), and this effect was exclusively driven by males (p < 0.05 condition × sex effect). With respect to the eCB pathway, DHEA was higher (p < 0.05 condition effect) in the sleep disturbance compared to the control condition, without sex-differential effects on any eCBs. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that central pain-inhibitory and COX mechanisms through which sleep disturbances may contribute to chronic pain risk are sex specific, implicating the need for sex-differential therapeutic targets to effectively reduce chronic pain associated with sleep disturbances in both sexes. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT02484742: Pain Sensitization and Habituation in a Model of Experimentally-induced Insomnia Symptoms. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02484742.

Treatment-related changes in insomnia, anticipatory pleasure, and depression symptoms: A proof-of-concept study with cancer survivors.

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: Cancer survivors have elevated rates of insomnia and depression. Insomnia increases risk for depression onset, and the Integrated Sleep and Reward (ISR) Model suggests that impairments in reward responding (e.g., ability to anticipate and/or experience pleasure) plays a central role in this relationship. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is efficacious for treating chronic insomnia and reducing depression in cancer survivor populations. The effects of CBT-I on anticipatory and consummatory pleasure are theoretically and clinically meaningful, yet remain unexamined. PATIENTS/METHODS: This secondary analysis of a pilot RCT (N = 40 cancer survivors with insomnia) explicated changes in anticipatory and consummatory pleasure and depression symptoms following a 4-session, synchronous, virtual CBT-I program versus enhanced usual care (referral to a behavioral sleep medicine clinic + sleep hygiene handout). Linear mixed models examined changes in anticipatory and consummatory pleasure and depression symptoms as predictors of changes in insomnia severity from baseline to post-intervention and 1-month follow-up. RESULTS: CBT-I buffered against deterioration in anticipatory pleasure but not consummatory pleasure or depression symptoms. Across conditions, increased anticipatory pleasure was associated with insomnia reduction through 1-month follow-up, even after adjusting for changes in depression symptoms. CONCLUSION: CBT-I may improve reward processing deficits in cancer survivors with insomnia. Findings provide support for the ISR Model and implicate pleasure as an important target for insomnia and depression.

Dismantling the Component-Specific Effects of Yogic Breathing: Feasibility of a Fully Remote Three-Arm RCT with Virtual Laboratory Visits and Wearable Physiology.

Despite the growing research base examining the benefits and physiological mechanisms of slow-paced breathing (SPB), mindfulness (M), and their combination (as yogic breathing, SPB + M), no studies have directly compared these in a "dismantling" framework. To address this gap, we conducted a fully remote three-armed feasibility study with wearable devices and video-based laboratory visits. Eighteen healthy participants (age 18-30 years, 12 female) were randomized to one of three 8-week interventions: slow-paced breathing (SPB, N = 5), mindfulness (M, N = 6), or yogic breathing (SPB + M, N = 7). The participants began a 24-h heart rate recording with a chest-worn device prior to the first virtual laboratory visit, consisting of a 60-min intervention-specific training with guided practice and experimental stress induction using a Stroop test. The participants were then instructed to repeat their assigned intervention practice daily with a guided audio, while concurrently recording their heart rate data and completing a detailed practice log. The feasibility was determined using the rates of overall study completion (100%), daily practice adherence (73%), and the rate of fully analyzable data from virtual laboratory visits (92%). These results demonstrate feasibility for conducting larger trial studies with a similar fully remote framework, enhancing the ecological validity and sample size that could be possible with such research designs.

Differential effects of an experimental model of prolonged sleep disturbance on inflammation in healthy females and males.

Sleep disturbances, including disrupted sleep and short sleep duration, are highly prevalent and are prospectively associated with an increased risk for various widespread diseases, including cardiometabolic, neurodegenerative, chronic pain, and autoimmune diseases. Systemic inflammation, which has been observed in populations experiencing sleep disturbances, may mechanistically link disturbed sleep with increased disease risks. To determine whether sleep disturbances are causally responsible for the inflammatory changes reported in population-based studies, we developed a 19-day in-hospital experimental model of prolonged sleep disturbance inducing disrupted and shortened sleep. The model included delayed sleep onset, frequent nighttime awakenings, and advanced sleep offset, interspersed with intermittent nights of undisturbed sleep. This pattern aimed at providing an ecologically highly valid experimental model of the typical sleep disturbances often reported in the general and patient populations. Unexpectedly, the experimental sleep disturbance model reduced several of the assessed proinflammatory markers, namely interleukin(IL)-6 production by monocytes and plasma levels of IL-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP), presumably due to intermittent increases in the counterinflammatory hormone cortisol. Striking sex differences were observed with females presenting a reduction in proinflammatory markers and males showing a predominantly proinflammatory response and reductions of cortisol levels. Our findings indicate that sleep disturbances causally dysregulate inflammatory pathways, with opposing effects in females and males. These results have the potential to advance our mechanistic understanding of the pronounced sexual dimorphism in the many diseases for which sleep disturbances are a risk factor.

Diagnostic and public health investigation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in a dog in Ontario, Canada.

A 4-y-old, female mixed-breed dog was presented to the Ontario Veterinary College for further evaluation of multiple pulmonary and hepatic masses, intrathoracic lymphadenitis, and recent development of a pyogranulomatous pleural effusion. Along with other comprehensive tests, a thoracic lymph node biopsy was performed, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex infection was confirmed by real-time PCR. The dog's condition declined post-operatively, and euthanasia was elected. Postmortem examination confirmed severe granulomatous pneumonia, hepatitis, intrathoracic and intraabdominal lymphadenitis, omentitis, and nephritis. Line-probe assays performed on samples collected postmortem confirmed the species as M. tuberculosis. 24-loci MIRU-VNTR genotyping, spoligotyping, and whole-genome sequencing revealed relations to known human isolates, but no epidemiologic link to these cases was investigated. Given the concern for potential human exposure during this animal's disease course, a public health investigation was initiated; 45 individuals were tested for M. tuberculosis exposure, and no subsequent human infections related to this animal were identified. Our case highlights the need for more readily available, minimally invasive testing for the diagnosis of canine mycobacteriosis, and highlights the ability of canid species to act as potential contributors to the epidemiology of M. tuberculosis infections.

Improvements in well-being and cardiac metrics of stress following a yogic breathing workshop: Randomized controlled trial with active comparison.

ObjectiveCompare two distinct psychosocial stress-management workshops.ParticipantsUndergraduate and graduate students (n = 69 for analysis, completed April 2017).MethodsParticipants were randomized to one of two workshops (Sudarshan Kriya Yoga, SKY; Wisdom On Wellness, WOW), matched in terms of duration, group size, etc. Outcomes were questionnaires and psychophysiological response to laboratory stress induction at pre, post, and 3-month follow-up.ResultsSKY and WOW participants demonstrated similar workshop ratings and retention rates. SKY demonstrated greater improvements on a number of self-report measures relative to WOW, including perceived stress, sleep, social connectedness, distress, anxiety, depression, conscientiousness, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. Both groups improved in terms of heart rate measures of stress reactivity, however, these outcomes were partially related to changes in resting values at post-workshop and follow-up.ConclusionsThese findings offer insight into unique patterns of change between yogic breathing, acceptance-based approaches to stress management versus cognitively based approaches.

The Survivorship Sleep Program (SSP): A synchronous, virtual cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia pilot program among cancer survivors.

BACKGROUND: For cancer survivors, insomnia is prevalent, distressing, and persists for years if unmanaged. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is an effective treatment yet can be difficult to access and may require modification to address survivorship-specific barriers to sleep. In this 2-phase study, the authors adapted and assessed the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of synchronous, virtual CBT-I adapted for cancer survivors (the Survivorship Sleep Program [SSP]). METHODS: From April to August 2020, cancer survivors with insomnia (N = 10) were interviewed to refine SSP content and delivery. From October 2020 to March 2021, 40 survivors were recruited for a randomized controlled trial comparing 4 weekly SSP sessions with enhanced usual care (EUC) (CBT-I referral plus a sleep hygiene handout). Feasibility and acceptability were assessed by enrollment, retention, attendance, fidelity, survey ratings, and exit interviews. Insomnia severity (secondary outcome), sleep quality, sleep diaries, and fatigue were assessed at baseline, postintervention, and at 1-month follow-up using linear mixed models. RESULTS: The SSP included targeted content and clinician-led, virtual delivery to enhance patient centeredness and access. Benchmarks were met for enrollment (56% enrolled/eligible), retention (SSP, 90%; EUC, 95%), attendance (100%), and fidelity (95%). Compared with EUC, the SSP resulted in large, clinically significant improvements in insomnia severity (Cohen d = 1.19) that were sustained at 1-month follow-up (Cohen d = 1.27). Improvements were observed for all other sleep metrics except sleep diary total sleep time and fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: Synchronous, virtually delivered CBT-I targeted to cancer survivors is feasible, acceptable, and seems to be efficacious for reducing insomnia severity. Further testing in larger and more diverse samples is warranted.

Profile of subjective-objective sleep discrepancy in patients with insomnia and sleep apnea.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Although subjective-objective sleep discrepancy has long been observed in patients with insomnia, the profiles of this discrepancy are poorly understood. Further, sleep discrepancy in insomnia with sleep comorbidities remains underexplored. We sought to better characterize sleep discrepancy among patient groups with and without insomnia and comorbid conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). METHODS: Using data from the Sleep Heart Health Study, we conducted a secondary analysis describing (1) the profile of self-reported and objective sleep measures in patients with insomnia (IS group; n = 73) and comorbid OSA (IS + OSA group; n = 143), compared with individuals with OSA only (OSA group; n = 296) and normal sleep control patients (NSC group; n = 126); (2) the comparative magnitude of sleep misperception between these 4 groups; and (3) the self-reported quality of life (QOL) in the 4 groups. RESULTS: Subjective-objective sleep discrepancy existed in all 4 groups, including the NSC group. Controlling for age, sex, mental health conditions, sleep apnea severity, and objectively measured sleep time, the presence of self-reported insomnia had the strongest association with sleep discrepancy. In patients with insomnia, sleep onset latency was overestimated (7.8 ± 36.8 min in the IS group; P < .001 when compared to the NSC and OSA groups), with the largest differences seen in the comorbid IS + OSA group (15.0 ± 56.8 min). Insomnia conferred the most negative impact on QOL, with the combined IS + OSA group reporting the lowest QOL. CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported insomnia is associated with sleep discrepancy and negative QOL. Those with comorbid OSA reported the greatest sleep discrepancy and the lowest QOL. Future research is warranted to further understand individual profiles of misperception and insomnia phenotypes. CITATION: Ma Y, Goldstein MR, Davis RB, Yeh GY. Profile of subjective-objective sleep discrepancy in patients with insomnia and sleep apnea. J Clin Sleep Med. 2021;17(11):2155-2163.

Treatment of chronic primary sleep onset insomnia with Kundalini yoga: a randomized controlled trial with active sleep hygiene comparison.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Prior studies have suggested a benefit of yoga for alleviating sleep disturbance; however, many studies have had methodological limitations. This trial study aimed to extend that literature by including an active sleep hygiene comparison. METHODS: Participants aged 25-59 years with a primary complaint of sleep onset insomnia lasting at least 6 months were block randomized to an 8-week Kundalini yoga or sleep hygiene intervention, both consisting of initial 60-minute instruction and weekly check-ins. Daily sleep diaries and questionnaires were collected at baseline, throughout the intervention, and at 6-month follow-up. Data were analyzed using linear mixed models (n = 20 in each group). RESULTS: Participant ratings of the interventions did not significantly differ. Sleep hygiene improved several diary and questionnaire outcomes, however, yoga resulted in even greater improvements corresponding to medium-to-large between-group effect sizes. Total sleep time increased progressively across yoga treatment (d = 0.95, P = .002), concurrent with increased sleep efficiency (d = 1.36, P < .001) and decreased sleep onset latency (d = -1.16, P < .001), but without changes in pre-sleep arousal (d =-0.30, P = .59). Remission rates were also higher for yoga compared to sleep hygiene, with ≥ 80% of yoga participants reporting average sleep onset latency < 30 minutes and sleep efficiency > 80% at 6-month follow-up. For over 50% of yoga participants, the insomnia severity index decreased by at least 8 points at end of treatment and follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Yoga, taught in a self-care framework with minimal instructor burden, was associated with self-reported improvements above and beyond an active sleep hygiene comparison, sustained at 6-month follow-up. Follow-up studies are needed to assess actigraphy and polysomnography outcomes, as well as possible mechanisms of change. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov; Name: Yoga as a Treatment for Insomnia; URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00033865; Identifier: NCT00033865. CITATION: Khalsa SBS, Goldstein MR. Treatment of chronic primary sleep onset insomnia with Kundalini yoga: a randomized controlled trial with active sleep hygiene comparison. J Clin Sleep Med. 2021;17(9):1841-1852.

Comparing the Impact of COVID-19-Related Social Distancing on Mood and Psychiatric Indicators in Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) and Non-SGM Individuals.

Empirical evidence demonstrates mental health disparities between sexual and gender minority individuals (SGM) compared with cisgender heterosexual individuals. SGM individuals report elevated rates of emotional distress, symptoms related to mood and anxiety disorders, self-harm, and suicidal ideation and behavior. Social support is inversely related to psychiatric symptoms, regardless of SGM status. The COVID-19 pandemic-with its associated limited social interactions-represents an unprecedented period of acute distress with potential reductions in accessibility of social support, which might be of particular concern for SGM individuals' mental well-being. In the present study, we explored the extent to which potential changes in mental health outcomes (depressive symptoms, worry, perceived stress, positive and negative affect) throughout the duration of the pandemic were related to differences in perceptions of social support and engagement in virtual social activity, as a function of SGM status. Utilizing a large sample of US adults (N = 1,014; 18% reported SGM status), we assessed psychiatric symptoms, perceptions of social isolation, and amount of time spent socializing virtually at 3 time windows during the pandemic (between March 21 and May 21). Although SGM individuals reported greater levels of depression compared with non-SGM individuals at all 3 time points, there was no interaction between time and SGM status. Across all participants, mental health outcomes improved across time. Perceived social isolation was associated with poorer mental health outcomes. Further, time spent engaging in virtual socialization was associated with reduced depression, but only for those in self-reported quarantine. We discuss these results in terms of the nature of our sample and its impact on the generalizability of these findings to other SGM samples as well as directions for future research aimed at understanding potential health disparities in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Insomnia and cardiovascular autonomic control.

Insomnia is the most prevalent sleep disorder, particularly among middle and older aged adults, and is associated with a variety of negative health consequences, including higher risk for cardiovascular disease. Unfortunately, the mechanisms linking insomnia with cardiovascular risk remain largely unknown, thus limiting targeted therapeutic interventions. The hyperarousal hypothesis has attracted the most support, positing that insomnia is a result of multisystem over-activation, including sympathetic hyperactivity, which promotes wakefulness and blocks the occurrence of sleep at the desired time. The results from literature in support of this hypothesis are inconclusive and mainly relay on studies that used methods to assess sympathetic activity lacking in specificity and reproducibility. The present review aims at summarizing the primary findings on autonomic nervous system regulation in insomnia while highlighting the advantages and limitations of the methods mainly used to support the increase in sympathetic function in insomnia. Collectively, this review aims to provide novel perspectives on conceptualizing insomnia and suggest innovative approaches to help elucidate the relationship between insomnia and autonomic nervous system activity.

Increased high-frequency NREM EEG power associated with mindfulness-based interventions for chronic insomnia: Preliminary findings from spectral analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) have been shown to reduce subjective symptoms of insomnia but the effects on objective measures remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine sleep EEG microarchitecture patterns from a randomized controlled trial of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Therapy for Insomnia (MBTI). METHODS: Sleep EEG spectral analysis was conducted on 36 participants with chronic insomnia (>6 months) randomized to 8-week MBSR, MBTI, or self-monitoring control (SM). Overnight polysomnography with 6-channel EEG was conducted at baseline, post-treatment, and 6-month follow-up. Spectral power averaged from channels C3/C4 across NREM epochs (excluding N1) was examined for within-group changes and relationships with self-report measures. RESULTS: Increases in absolute NREM beta (16-25 Hz) power were observed from baseline to post-treatment (p = .02, d = 0.53) and maintained at 6-month follow-up (p = .01, d = 0.57) in the combined MBI groups, and additionally in the gamma (25-40 Hz) range at follow-up for the MBTI group only. No significant changes in these frequency bands were observed for SM. Following mindfulness intervention, NREM beta was positively associated with Five-Facet Mindfulness (FFM) score (rho = 0.37, p = .091) and negatively associated with Insomnia Severity Index (rho = -0.43, p = .047). CONCLUSION: These results in people with insomnia corroborate prior reports of increased high-frequency sleep EEG power associated with mindfulness training. This change in beta EEG pattern merits further evaluation as a potential marker of the effects of mindfulness meditation on sleep, especially given the paradoxical findings in the context of insomnia. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov, NCT00768781.

Establishing the objective sleep phenotype in hypersomnolence disorder with and without comorbid major depression.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To clarify whether hypersomnolence disorder is associated with a specific sleep phenotype and altered neurophysiological function in persons with and without hypersomnolence disorder and major depressive disorder (MDD). METHODS: Eighty-three unmedicated persons with and without hypersomnolence disorder and/or MDD underwent ad libitum high-density EEG polysomnography. Clinical and sleep architecture variables were compared between groups. Topographic patterns of slow-wave activity (SWA) relative to healthy controls were compared, with correlations between topographic SWA and daytime sleepiness assessed. Reductions in SWA in hypersomnolence disorder were mapped to specific cortical areas using source localization. RESULTS: Regardless of the presence or absence of comorbid MDD, persons with hypersomnolence disorder had increased sleep duration relative to both controls and persons with MDD without hypersomnolence. Participants with hypersomnolence disorder also demonstrated reduced bilateral centroparietal low-frequency activity during nonrapid eye movement sleep relative to controls, a pattern not observed in persons with MDD but without hypersomnolence. SWA in these regions was negatively correlated with subjective measures of daytime sleepiness. Source localization demonstrated reductions in SWA in the supramarginal gyrus, somatosensory, and transverse temporal cortex in participants with hypersomnolence disorder. CONCLUSIONS: Hypersomnolence disorder is characterized by increased sleep duration with normal sleep continuity, regardless of the presence or absence of comorbid depression. Reduced local SWA may be a specific neurophysiological finding in hypersomnolence disorder. Further research is warranted to elucidate the mechanisms through which these cortical changes are related to clinical complaints of daytime sleepiness.

Objective measures of sleep duration and continuity in major depressive disorder with comorbid hypersomnolence: a primary investigation with contiguous systematic review and meta-analysis.

Hypersomnolence plays an important role in the presentation, treatment and course of mood disorders. However, there has been relatively little research that examines objective measures of sleep duration and continuity in patients with depression and hypersomnolence, despite the use of these factors in sleep medicine nosological systems. This study compared total sleep time and efficiency measured by naturalistic actigraphic recordings followed by ad libitum polysomnography (PSG; without prescribed wake time) in 22 patients with major depressive disorder and co-occurring hypersomnolence against age- and sex-matched healthy sleeper controls. The major depressive disorder and co-occurring hypersomnolence group demonstrated significantly longer sleep duration compared with healthy sleeper controls quantified by sleep diaries, actigraphy and ad libitum PSG. No between-group differences in sleep efficiency (SE), latency to sleep or wake after sleep onset were observed when assessed using objective measures. To further contextualize these findings within the broader scientific literature, a systematic review was performed to identify other comparable investigations. A meta-analysis of pooled data demonstrated patients with mood disorders and co-occurring hypersomnolence have significantly greater sleep duration and similar SE compared with healthy controls when assessed using ad libitum PSG. These results suggest current sleep medicine nosology that distinguishes hypersomnia associated with psychiatric disorders primarily as a construct characterized by low SE and increased time in bed may not be accurate. Future studies that establish the biological bases hypersomnolence in mood disorders, as well as clarify the accuracy of nosological thresholds to define excessive sleep duration, are needed to refine the diagnosis and treatment of these disorders.

Sleep confers a benefit for retention of statistical language learning in 6.5month old infants.

Infants show robust ability to track transitional probabilities within language and can use this information to extract words from continuous speech. The degree to which infants remember these words across a delay is unknown. Given well-established benefits of sleep on long-term memory retention in adults, we examine whether sleep similarly facilitates memory in 6.5month olds. Infants listened to an artificial language for 7minutes, followed by a period of sleep or wakefulness. After a time-matched delay for sleep and wakefulness dyads, we measured retention using the head-turn-preference procedure. Infants who slept retained memory for the extracted words that was prone to interference during the test. Infants who remained awake showed no retention. Within the nap group, retention correlated with three electrophysiological measures (1) absolute theta across the brain, (2) absolute alpha across the brain, and (3) greater fronto-central slow wave activity (SWA).

Regional Patterns of Elevated Alpha and High-Frequency Electroencephalographic Activity during Nonrapid Eye Movement Sleep in Chronic Insomnia: A Pilot Study.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To examine nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep in insomnia using high-density electroencephalography (EEG). METHODS: All-night sleep recordings with 256 channel high-density EEG were analyzed for 8 insomnia subjects (5 females) and 8 sex and age-matched controls without sleep complaints. Spectral analyses were conducted using unpaired t-tests and topographical differences between groups were assessed using statistical non-parametric mapping. Five minute segments of deep NREM sleep were further analyzed using sLORETA cortical source imaging. RESULTS: The initial topographic analysis of all-night NREM sleep EEG revealed that insomnia subjects had more high-frequency EEG activity (> 16 Hz) compared to good sleeping controls and that the difference between groups was widespread across the scalp. In addition, the analysis also showed that there was a more circumscribed difference in theta (4-8 Hz) and alpha (8-12 Hz) power bands between groups. When deep NREM sleep (N3) was examined separately, the high-frequency difference between groups diminished, whereas the higher regional alpha activity in insomnia subjects persisted. Source imaging analysis demonstrated that sensory and sensorimotor cortical areas consistently exhibited elevated levels of alpha activity during deep NREM sleep in insomnia subjects relative to good sleeping controls. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that even during the deepest stage of sleep, sensory and sensorimotor areas in insomnia subjects may still be relatively active compared to control subjects and to the rest of the sleeping brain.

Improvements in well-being and vagal tone following a yogic breathing-based life skills workshop in young adults: Two open-trial pilot studies.

BACKGROUND: While efficacy of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) has been demonstrated in a number of prior studies, little is known about the effects of SKY taught as part of the Your Enlightened Side (YES+) workshop designed for college students and other young adults. AIMS: This study aimed to assess the effects of YES+, a yogic breathing-based life skills workshop, on multiple measures of well-being and physiological stress response. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two nonrandomized open-trial pilot studies were conducted with a total of 74 young adults (age 25.4 ± 6.6 years; 55% female). Study 1 collected a variety of self-report questionnaires at baseline, postworkshop, and 1-month follow-up. Study 2 collected self-report questionnaires in addition to electrocardiography with a stationary cycling challenge at baseline and 1-month follow-up. RESULTS: Study 1: Improvements in self-reported depression (P's ≤ 0.010), perceived stress (P's ≤ 0.002), life satisfaction (P's ≤ 0.002), social connectedness (P's ≤ 0.004), and gratitude (P's ≤ 0.090) were observed at postworkshop and 1-month after workshop relative to baseline. Study 2: Improvements in self-reported emotion regulation were observed at 1-month follow-up relative to baseline (P = 0.019). Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-Expanded Form positive affect increased (P = 0.021), while fatigue and sadness decreased (P's ≤ 0.005). During the stationary cycling challenge, rate to recovery of electrocardiography inter-beat interval also increased from baseline to 1-month follow-up (P = 0.077). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that a life skills workshop integrating yogic breathing techniques may provide self-empowering tools for enhancing well-being in young adults. Future research is indicated to further explore these effects, particularly in regards to vagal tone and other aspects of stress physiology.

Effects of partial sleep deprivation on slow waves during non-rapid eye movement sleep: A high density EEG investigation.

OBJECTIVE: Changes in slow waves during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep in response to acute total sleep deprivation are well-established measures of sleep homeostasis. This investigation utilized high-density electroencephalography (hdEEG) to examine topographic changes in slow waves during repeated partial sleep deprivation. METHODS: Twenty-four participants underwent a 6-day sleep restriction protocol. Spectral and period-amplitude analyses of sleep hdEEG data were used to examine changes in slow wave energy, count, amplitude, and slope relative to baseline. RESULTS: Changes in slow wave energy were dependent on the quantity of NREM sleep utilized for analysis, with widespread increases during sleep restriction and recovery when comparing data from the first portion of the sleep period, but restricted to recovery sleep if the entire sleep episode was considered. Period-amplitude analysis was less dependent on the quantity of NREM sleep utilized, and demonstrated topographic changes in the count, amplitude, and distribution of slow waves, with frontal increases in slow wave amplitude, numbers of high-amplitude waves, and amplitude/slopes of low amplitude waves resulting from partial sleep deprivation. CONCLUSIONS: Topographic changes in slow waves occur across the course of partial sleep restriction and recovery. SIGNIFICANCE: These results demonstrate a homeostatic response to partial sleep loss in humans.

The 5α-reductase inhibitor finasteride is not associated with alterations in sleep spindles in men referred for polysomnography.

OBJECTIVE: Endogenous neurosteroids that potentiate the gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA ) receptor are thought to enhance the generation of sleep spindles. This study tested the hypothesis that the 5α-reductase inhibitor finasteride, an agent associated with reductions in neurosteroids, would be associated with reduced sleep spindles in men referred for polysomnography. METHODS: Spectral analysis and spindle waveform detection were performed on electroencephalographic (EEG) sleep data in the 11-16 Hz sigma band, as well as several subranges, from 27 men taking finasteride and 27 matched comparison patients (ages 18 to 81 years). RESULTS: No significant differences between groups were observed for spectral power or sleep spindle morphology measures, including spindle density, amplitude, duration, and integrated spindle activity. CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to our hypothesis, these findings demonstrate that finasteride is not associated with alterations in sleep spindle range activity or spindle morphology parameters.