Current Sleep Medicine Reports

Purpose of review: This paper critically evaluates literature from the last three years on sleep in caregivers for older adults. Research is evaluated in four main areas: factors related to caregivers having sleep problems, sleep health in various types of caregivers, how caregivers' sleep and health inter-relate, and interventions to improve sleep. Recent findings: A range of both care recipients' and caregivers' characteristics have been associated with caregiver sleep quality measured subjectively and objectively...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Adverse effects of sedative-hypnotic medications on cognition are concerning. Past studies have examined benzodiazepine (BZD) use and cognitive outcomes; however, few studies have examined newer non-BZD hypnotic agents (nBHs; e.g. zolpidem). This systematic review examined observational studies assessing the association between nBH use and cognitive outcomes. RECENT FINDINGS: Five studies met eligibility requirements and were included in the review...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: We performed a literature search to generate incidence and prevalence rates of narcolepsy in diverse populations based on current available data. RECENT FINDINGS: With an onset in childhood, narcolepsy often has a delayed diagnosis due to symptoms of excessive daytime sleepiness not being recognized or being misdiagnosed. Clinical, electrophysiological, and biological tests are needed in order to diagnose narcolepsy. At the same time, the discovery of the link with the immunoregulatory human leukocyte antigen complex and the adverse events in relation to the H1N1 pandemic vaccines have shuffled the epidemiological numbers...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Polysomnography (PSG) represents a fundamental diagnostic tool used in the evaluation of sleep disorders. It represents a simultaneous recording of sleep staging, eye movements, electromyographic tone, respiratory parameters, and electrocardiogram. It is particularly helpful in the assessment of sleep-disordered breathing and its management, propensity for excessive sleepiness, complex behaviors during sleep, including motor disturbances of sleep, sleep-related epilepsy, and parasomnias...

Purpose of Review: Poor sleep and delirium are common in older patients but recognition and management are challenging, particularly in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting. The purpose of this review is to highlight current research on these conditions, their inter-relationship, modes of measurement, and current approaches to management. Recent Findings: Sleep deprivation and delirium are closely linked, with shared clinical characteristics, risk factors, and neurochemical abnormalities...

Purpose of Review: This review summarizes key findings linking insomnia, short sleep duration, and cardiovascular health. Recent Findings: Early studies associations between insomnia with short sleep and cardiovascular disease Recent studies have incorporated objective data to assess sleep and identify comorbid sleep disorders (e.g. sleep apnea). Use of objective metrics has facilitated understanding of the impacts of insufficient sleep on autonomic dysregulation, metabolic syndrome, coronary artery disease and overall cardiovascular mortality...

Purpose of review: The pathophysiology of idiopathic hypersomnia remains unclear, but some of its clinical features suggest the possibility of circadian dysfunction. This review will provide an overview of recent studies of circadian biology that have begun to elucidate the potential role of circadian rhythm dysfunction in idiopathic hypersomnia. Recent findings: Clinically, people with idiopathic hypersomnia tend to have both a late chronotype and prominent sleep inertia or sleep drunkenness...

Purpose of Review: Sleep-wake states modulate cortical activity in adults. In infants, however, such modulation is less clear; indeed, early cortical activity comprises bursts of neural activity driven predominantly by peripheral sensory input. Consequently, in many studies of sensory development in rodents, sensory processing has been carefully investigated, but the modulatory role of behavioral state has typically been ignored. Recent Findings: In the developing visual and somatosensory systems, it is now known that sleep and wake states modulate sensory processing...

Purpose of review: This review aims to discuss the most recent data on sleep disorders and stroke, highlighting relevant findings for the practicing neurologist or health providers who encounter patients with sleep disorders and stroke. Recent findings: Sleep apnea and abnormal sleep duration have the strongest association with stroke risk. Possible mechanisms include non-dipping of blood pressure during sleep, hypoxemia or reoxygenation leading to sympathetic activation, hypertension, atrial fibrillation and impaired cerebral hemodynamics...

Purpose of review: To systematically review the available research studies that characterize the benefits, uncertainty, or weaknesses of commercially-available sleep tracking technology. Recent findings: Sleep is a vital component of health and well-being. Research shows that tracking sleep using commercially available sleep tracking technology (e.g., wearable or smartphone-based) is increasingly popular in the general population. Methods: Systematic literature searches were conducted using PubMed/Medline, Embase (Ovid) the Cochrane Library, PsycINFO (Ovid), CINAHL, and Web of Science Plus (which included results from Biosis Citation Index, INSPEC, and Food, Science & Technology Abstracts) (n=842)...

Purpose of review: The purpose of this paper was to address how sleep changes with aging, with the broader goal of informing how REM sleep and slow wave activity mechanisms interact to promote cognitive longevity. Recent findings: We conducted novel analyses based on the National Sleep Research Resource database. Over approximately five years, middle-to-older aged adults, on average, showed dramatically worse sleep fragmentation, a steady decrease in slow wave sleep, and yet a small increase in REM sleep...

Purpose of the Review: To summarize the potential interactions between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), atrial fibrillation (AF), and connexins. Recent Findings: OSA is highly prevalent in patients with cardiovascular disease, and is associated with increased risk for end-organ substantial morbidities linked to autonomic nervous system imbalance, increased oxidative stress and inflammation, ultimately leading to reduced life expectancy. Epidemiological studies indicate that OSA is associated with increased incidence and progression of coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, as well as arrhythmias, particularly AF...

Purpose of Review: Late-life insomnia is a serious medical condition associated with many untoward consequences. The high prevalence of late-life insomnia, along with the concomitant risks inherent in the use of hypnotic medications in older adults necessitates non-pharmacological (i.e., psychological) treatment options. We aim to summarize and evaluate the state-of-the-science of psychological treatment options for late-life insomnia. Recent Findings: Cumulative scientific evidence suggests the efficacy of psychological treatment of late-life insomnia...

Purpose of review: This paper describes a newly proposed sleep disorder, trauma-associated sleep disorder (TSD). Whether or not this represents a truly unique condition is controversial. In this paper, we describe the overlapping features and differences between TSD, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD). Recent findings: While REM sleep without atonia (RWA) and dream enactment are part of the diagnostic criteria for both RBD and TSD, only TSD features nightmares that occur both in non-REM and REM...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Later school start times are associated with a number of benefits for adolescents. The purpose of the current review is to summarize the literature regarding the effects of delaying school start times on adolescent psychological health. RECENT FINDINGS: We identified eight observational studies that examined the relationship between schools' starting times and psychological outcomes. Of these, three were longitudinal studies that reported measures of adolescent mental health improved following a start time delay...

Purpose of review: Technology and globalization have been central forces driving the need for shift work. This review examines recent scientific developments that inform our understanding of how psychological process contribute to and are impacted by shift work. Recent findings: Nascent research is beginning to expand beyond circadian misalignment to elucidate the phenomenology of shift work and the associated psychological impairments. Psychological processes and their interaction with biology are considered in the pathophysiology of shift work sleep disorder...

Purpose of review: The goal of this review is to evaluate recent research related to the effects of plant-based diets on sleep patterns. We discuss plausible mechanisms for the link between plant-based diets and sleep, and provide suggestions for future research in this area. Recent findings: Short sleep duration and poor sleep quality have been shown to negatively affect individual dietary habits, through enhanced appetite, increased overall caloric intake, as well as lower diet quality...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: In this review, we focus on the association of sleep and retirement from two perspectives. Firstly, we examine the role of sleep during the working years on retirement timing. Secondly, we examine how sleep changes during the transition to retirement. RECENT FINDINGS: Persons with sleep difficulties are more likely to retire due to health problems, such as depression and musculoskeletal disorders. Retirement, on the other hand, is associated with both increased sleep duration and decreased sleep difficulties, mainly premature awakenings and nonrestorative sleep...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Chronotype, reflecting interindividual differences in daily activity patterns and sleep-wake cycles, is intrinsically connected with well-being. Research indicates increased risk of many adverse mental health outcomes for evening-type individuals. Here, we provide an overview of the current evidence available on the relationship between chronotype and psychiatric disorders. RECENT FINDINGS: The association between eveningness and depression is well established cross-sectionally, with preliminary support from longitudinal studies...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review will focus on the causes, consequences, workup, and treatment of sleep disordered breathing, insomnia, and restless legs syndrome in patients with MS. An approach to the discussion of sleep problems and associated symptoms with MS patients, to facilitate timely and accurate diagnosis, is emphasized. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent research suggests that sleep disordered breathing, insomnia, and restless legs syndrome disproportionately affect patients with MS, and contribute to substantial morbidity in this population...