Sleep and Sleep Disorders

Chapter 8


Sleep and Sleep Disorders


Carol A. Landis and Margaret McLean Heitkemper





Reviewed by Dana R. Epstein, RN, PhD, Adjunct Faculty, College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, Arizona; and Jo Ann Baker, RN, MSN, FNP-C, Department Chair, Nursing, Delaware Technical and Community College, Terry Campus, Dover, Delaware.



Sleep


Sleep is a state in which an individual lacks conscious awareness of environmental surroundings, but can be easily aroused. Sleep is distinct from unconscious states such as coma in which the individual cannot be aroused. Sleep is a basic, dynamic, highly organized, and complex behavior that is essential for healthy functioning and survival. Over a life span of 80 years, an individual who sleeps 7 hours each night will spend approximately 24 years sleeping. Sleep influences both behavioral and physiologic functions, including memory, mood, hormone secretion, glucose metabolism, immune function, and body temperature.


Most adults require 7 to 8 hours of sleep within a 24-hour period. Adequate sleep is defined as the amount of sleep one needs to be fully awake and alert the next day. Insufficient sleep refers to obtaining less than recommended amounts of sleep. Fragmented sleep refers to frequent arousals or actual awakenings that interrupt sleep continuity.


Sleep disturbance is a term used to indicate conditions of poor sleep quality. Sleep disorders are abnormalities unique to sleep. They can be classified as dyssomnias or parasomnias (Table 8-1). Dyssomnia is a term used to describe problems associated with initiating or maintaining sleep. Parasomnias are discussed later in this chapter on p. 110.



More than 70 million people in the United States have a sleep disorder, and many are unaware that they have a problem1,2 (Fig. 8-1). On average most Americans report sleeping image hours on workdays and image hours on non-workdays. Seventy percent of adults report habitually sleeping less than 7 hours a night.




eTABLE 8-1


PITTSBURGH SLEEP QUALITY INDEX






















































































































































































Name _____________________________ ID# ____________ Date _____________ Age ______
INSTRUCTIONS
The following questions relate to your usual sleep habits during the past month only. Your answers should indicate the most accurate reply for the majority of days and nights in the past month. Please answer all questions.
1. During the past month, what time have you usually gone to bed at night?
USUAL BED TIME ___________
2. During the past month, how long (in minutes) has it usually taken you to fall asleep each night?
NUMBER OF MINUTES___________
3. During the past month, what time have you usually gotten up in the morning?
USUAL GETTING UP TIME_____________________
4. During the past month, how many hours of actual sleep did you get at night? (This may be different than the number of hours you spent in bed.)
HOURS OF SLEEP PER NIGHT________________
For each of the remaining questions, check the one best response. Please answer all questions.
5. During the past month, how often have you had trouble sleeping because you . . .
 a) Cannot get to sleep within 30 minutes
Not during the past month_____ Less than once a week_____ Once or twice a week_____ Three or more times a week_____
 b) Wake up in the middle of the night or early morning
Not during the past month_____ Less than once a week_____ Once or twice a week_____ Three or more times a week_____
 c) Have to get up to use the bathroom
Not during the past month_____ Less than once a week_____ Once or twice a week_____ Three or more times a week_____
 d) Cannot breathe comfortably
Not during the past month_____ Less than once a week_____ Once or twice a week_____ Three or more times a week_____
 e) Cough or snore loudly
Not during the past month_____ Less than once a week_____ Once or twice a week_____ Three or more times a week_____
 f) Feel too cold
Not during the past month_____ Less than once a week_____ Once or twice a week_____ Three or more times a week_____
 g) Feel too hot
Not during the past month_____ Less than once a week_____ Once or twice a week_____ Three or more times a week_____
 h) Had bad dreams
Not during the past month_____ Less than once a week_____ Once or twice a week_____ Three or more times a week_____
 i) Have pain
Not during the past month_____ Less than once a week_____ Once or twice a week_____ Three or more times a week_____
 j) Other reason(s), please describe______________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. How often during the past month have you had trouble sleeping because of this?
Not during the past month_____ Less than once a week_____ Once or twice a week_____ Three or more times a week_____
7. During the past month, how would you rate your sleep quality overall?
Very good _____ Fairly good _____ Fairly bad _____ Very bad _____
8. During the past month, how often have you taken medicine to help you sleep (prescribed or over the counter)?
Not during the past month_____ Less than once a week_____ Once or twice a week_____ Three or more times a week_____
9. During the past month, how often have you had trouble staying awake while driving, eating meals, or engaging in social activity?
Not during the past month_____ Less than once a week_____ Once or twice a week_____ Three or more times a week_____
10. During the past month, how much of a problem has it been for you to keep up enough enthusiasm to get things done?
No problem at all __________
Only a very slight problem __________
Somewhat of a problem __________
A very big problem __________
11. Do you have a bed partner or roommate?
No bed partner or roommate __________
Partner/roommate in other room __________
Partner in same room, but not same bed __________
Partner in same bed __________
12. If you have a roommate or bed partner, ask him/her how often in the past month you have had . . .
 a) Loud snoring
Not during the past month_____ Less than once a week_____ Once or twice a week_____ Three or more times a week_____
 b) Long pauses between breaths while asleep
Not during the past month_____ Less than once a week_____ Once or twice a week_____ Three or more times a week_____
 c) Legs twitching or jerking while you sleep
Not during the past month_____ Less than once a week_____ Once or twice a week_____ Three or more times a week_____
 d) Episodes of disorientation or confusion during sleep
Not during the past month_____ Less than once a week_____ Once or twice a week_____ Three or more times a week_____
 e) Other restlessness while you sleep; please describe ___________________________________________________________________________________
Not during the past month_____ Less than once a week_____ Once or twice a week_____ Three or more times a week_____


image


image


From Buysse DJ, Reynolds CF, Monk TH, et al: The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index: A new instrument for psychiatric practice and research, Psychiatry Res 28:193, 1989.




eTABLE 8-2


INSOMNIA SEVERITY INDEX (ISI)







































Name: ______________________________ Date: ________________________
For each question below, please circle the number corresponding to your response.
1. Please rate the current (i.e., last month) SEVERITY of your insomnia problem(s).
  None Mild Moderate Severe Very
 a) Difficulty falling asleep 0 1 2 3 4
 b) Difficulty staying asleep 0 1 2 3 4
 c) Problem waking up too early 0 1 2 3 4


































































2. How SATISFIED/dissatisfied are you with your current sleep pattern?
Very Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied
0 1 2 3 4
3. To what extent do you consider your sleep problem to INTERFERE with your daily functioning (e.g., daytime fatigue, ability to function at work/daily chores, concentration, memory, mood, etc.)?
Not At All Interfering A Little Interfering Somewhat Interfering Much Interfering Very Much Interfering
0 1 2 3 4
4. How NOTICEABLE to others do you think your sleeping problem is in terms of impairing the quality of your life?
Not At All Noticeable A Little Noticeable Somewhat Noticeable Much Noticeable Very Much Noticeable
0 1 2 3 4
5. How WORRIED/distressed are you about your current sleep problem?
Not At All A Little Somewhat Much Very Much
0 1 2 3 4
Guidelines for Scoring/Interpretation
Add scores for all seven items (1a + 1b + 1c + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5) = _____
Total score ranges from 0-28.



image


© Morin CM (1993).




eTABLE 8-4


TRADITIONAL SLEEP DIARY



















































































































































  Examples                
Day of the week Monday Sun Mon Tues Wed Thur Fri Sat For clinic use only
Calendar date 3/25 8/3 8/4 8/5 8/6 8/7 8/8 8/9  
1. Yesterday I napped from ___ to ___ (note time of all naps). 1:30 2:45 pm 1:30 2:15 pm  
2. Last night I took ___ mg of ___ or ___ of alcohol as a sleep aid. Ambien 5 mg None None Wine 4 oz None None None None  
3. Last night I turned off the lights and attempted to fall asleep at ___ (am or pm?). 11:30 pm 11:00 pm 11:30 pm 10:30 pm 11:00 pm 11:00 pm 10:30 pm 11:30 pm  
4. After turning off the lights it took me about ___ minutes to fall asleep. 40 min 25 min 35 min 20 min 45 min 60 min 20 min 35 min  
5. I woke from sleep ___ times. (Do not count your final awakening here.) 2 times 1 1 1 2 2 1 1  
6. My awakenings lasted ___ minutes. (List each awakening separately.) 25 min
40 min
35 min 25 min 45 min 20 min
20 min
10 min
10 min
60 min 40 min  
7. Today I woke up at ___ (am or pm?). Note: this is your final awakening. 6:30 am 7:00 am 6:30 am 8:30 am 7:00 am 6:45 am 6:30 am 8:15 am  
8. Today I got out of bed for the day at ___ (am or pm?). 7:15 am 7:00 am 7:00 am 8:30 am 7:30 am 7:15 am 7:00 am 9:00 am  
9. I would rate the quality of last night’s sleep as:
1 = very poor
2 = poor
3 = fair
4 = good
5 = excellent
3 3 3 4 3 2 3 4  
10. When I awoke today I felt:
1 = not at all rested
2 = slightly rested
3 = somewhat rested
4 = rested
5 = well rested
2 2 2 3 3 2 2 3  


image


From Kryger MH, Roth T, Dement WC: Principles and practice of sleep medicine, ed 5, Philadelphia, 2011, Saunders.


Insufficient sleep is a serious problem with health consequences. In the 2011 National Sleep Foundation survey, 87% of Americans reported at least one sleep problem such as difficulty falling asleep, fragmented sleep, or snoring a few nights per week.3 Daytime sleepiness can be so severe that it interferes with work and social functioning (Fig. 8-2). People with chronic illnesses are at the greatest risk for sleep disturbances.



Many sleep disorders go untreated because health care providers do not ask and patients do not talk about sleep problems. Untreated sleep disorders pose considerable health and economic consequences. Driving while drowsy is related to 100,000 accidents and 1500 traffic fatalities per year.4 Each year, sleep disorders, sleep loss, and excessive daytime sleepiness cost the United States billions of dollars from the cost of health care, work-related accidents, and lost productivity.1



Physiologic Sleep Mechanisms


Sleep-Wake Cycle


The brain controls the cyclic changes between sleep and waking, but no single structure regulates these states. Rather, complex networks in the brainstem, hypothalamus, and thalamus interact to regulate the sleep and wake cycle.



Wake Behavior.

Wake behavior is maintained by an integrated network of arousal systems from the brainstem and basal forebrain. A cluster of neuronal structures in the middle of the brainstem, called the reticular activating system (RAS), is associated with generalized cortical activation and behavioral arousal. Various neurotransmitters (glutamate, acetylcholine, norepinephrine, dopamine, histamine, serotonin) promote wake behavior.5


People with Alzheimer’s disease have a loss of cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain, which results in sleep disturbances. People with Parkinson’s disease have degeneration of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra, leading to excessive daytime sleepiness. Histamine neurons in the hypothalamus stimulate cortical activation and wake behavior. The sedating properties of many over-the-counter (OTC) medications result from inhibiting one of these arousal systems.


Orexin (also called hypocretin), a neuropeptide, is found in the lateral hypothalamus. Orexin activates arousal systems and simultaneously inhibits sleep active neurons. Decreased levels of orexin or its receptors lead to difficulties staying awake and the syndrome called narcolepsy. (Narcolepsy is discussed later in this chapter on pp. 106-107.)



Sleep Behavior.

An area in the hypothalamus just above the optic chiasm contains many sleep-promoting neurons. These neurons act to inhibit the RAS and promote sleep.5 Sleep is stimulated by a variety of sleep-promoting neurotransmitters and peptides, including γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), galanin, melatonin, adenosine, somatostatin, growth hormone–releasing hormone, delta-sleep–inducing peptide, prostaglandins, and proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1, tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-6). Proinflammatory cytokines are important in mediating sleepiness and lethargy associated with infection. Peptides, such as cholecystokinin, released by the gastrointestinal tract after food ingestion may mediate the sleepiness (postprandial sleepiness).


Melatonin is an endogenous hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain from the amino acid tryptophan. Melatonin secretion is tightly linked to the environmental light-dark cycle. Under normal day-night conditions, melatonin is released in the evening as it gets dark. Light exposure at night can suppress melatonin secretion.6



Circadian Rhythms.

Many biologic rhythms of behavior and physiology fluctuate within a 24-hour period. Because the circadian (circa dian, about a day) rhythms are controlled by internal clock mechanisms, they persist when people are placed in environments free of external time cues. The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the hypothalamus is the master clock of the body. The 24-hour cycle of sleep and wake is synchronized to the environmental light and dark periods through specific light detectors in the retina. Pathways from the retina reach the SCN, and pathways from the SCN innervate brain regions controlling wake and sleep behavior.5


Light is the strongest time cue for the sleep-wake rhythm. Thus light can be used as a therapy to shift the timing of the sleep-wake rhythm. For example, bright light used early in the morning will cause the sleep-wake rhythm to move to an earlier time; bright light used in the evening will cause the sleep-wake rhythm to move to a later time.



Sleep Architecture


Sleep architecture refers to the pattern of nighttime sleep recorded from physiologic measures of brain waves, eye movements, and muscle tone called polysomnography (PSG). Sleep consists of two basic states: rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non–rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep (see eFig. 8-1 on the website for this chapter). During sleep, the body cycles between NREM and REM sleep. Once asleep, a person goes through four to six NREM and REM sleep cycles.7



NREM Sleep.

In healthy adults the largest percentage of total sleep time, approximately 75% to 80%, is spent in NREM sleep. NREM sleep is subdivided into three stages:8





Insufficient Sleep and Sleep Disorders


Insufficient sleep and sleep disorders are associated with changes in body function (Fig. 8-3) and health problems (Table 8-2). Impaired cognitive function and impaired performance on simple behavioral tasks occur within 24 hours of sleep loss. The effects of sleep loss are cumulative. Individuals who report less than 6 hours of sleep a night have a higher body mass index (BMI) and are more likely to be obese. The risk for developing glucose intolerance and diabetes is increased in individuals with a history of insufficient sleep.9,10 Chronic loss of sleep places older adults at risk for depression, impaired daytime functioning, social isolation, and overall reduction in quality of life. In patients with chronic illnesses, especially cardiovascular disease and stroke, insomnia and sleep-disordered breathing are associated with increased morbidity and mortality.11,12



TABLE 8-2


RELATIONSHIP OF SLEEP DISTURBANCES TO DISEASES AND DISORDERS



















Disease or Disorder Sleep Disturbance
Respiratory
Asthma
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Obstructive sleep apnea

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Nov 17, 2016 | Posted by in NURSING | Comments Off on Sleep and Sleep Disorders

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