• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.9-13
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• 2002

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most common and devastating dementing disorders of old age. Most AD patients showed significant alternation of sleep structure as well as cognitive deficit. Typical findings of sleep architecture in AD patients include lower sleep efficiency, higher stage 1 percentage, and greater frequency of arousals. The slowing of EEG activity is also noted. Abnormalities in REM sleep are of particular interest in AD because the cholinergic system is related to both REM sleep and AD. Several parameters representing REM sleep structure such as REM latency, the amount of REM sleep, and REM density are change in patients with AD. Especially, measurements of EEG slowing during tonic REM sleep can be used as an EEG marker for early detection of possible AD. In addition, a structural defect in the suprachiasmatic nucleus is suggested to cause various chronobiological alternations in AD. Most of alternations related to sleep make sleep disturbances common and disruptive symptoms of AD. In this article, the author reviewed the alternation of sleep structure and circadian rhythm in AD patients.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.713-720
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• 2006

Heat conductivity, height, size, elasticity of pillow, stability of shape, hygroscopicity, ventilation, temperature and easy movability, and so on, are considered to be some of major conditions that affect the comfortable sleep. Considering those factors together, the thermal properties, height, shape and feeling of touch, etc, of pillow must be taken into account. Though studies have been conducted to figure out the physical properties of mattress or pillows from the perspective of factors related to the environment of sleep, they are not enough to be used as an index to evaluate the qualitative aspect of sleep. This study tries to consider the effect of pillow filling materials on the comfortable sleep, for which EEG, ECG, EOG, EMG, RT, etc, are to be measured in an attempt to provide the basic data required in proposing the condition that may lead to a sound and comfortable sleep. Three types of pillows that are sold in the market were used for this research in order to evaluate the quality of sleep depending on the filling materials of pillow. All data were statistically processed and the following conclusions were drawn. It was found that the pillow with feathers provided the best comfort as the pillow A turned out to have the shortest sleeping latency(SL) from the perspective of comfort. The pillow B which used the polyethylene is deemed to be suitable for fatigue relieving purpose as it turned out to have the highest slow wave sleep(SWS), but no statistically significant difference was validated. Moreover, the pillow C which used the natural wool was found to have the narrowest contacting area of the pillow and head and provide a great warm heat comfort that may led to a sound sleep because the temperature below the pillow took the longest time to rise.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.47-55
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• 1996

Narcolepsy is characterized by sleep attack with excessive daytime sleepiness(EDS), cataplexy, sleep paralysis, and hypnagogic hallucination. Paradoxically, narcoleptics tend to complain of frequent arousals and shallow sleep during the night time despite their excessive sleepiness. However, nocturnal sleep fragmentation in narcoleptics is relatively ignored in treatment strategies, compared with sleep attack/EDS and cataplexy. In our paper, we attempted to investigate further on the poor nocturnal sleep in narcoleptics and to discuss possible treatment interventions. Out of consecutively seen patients at Seoul National University Sleep Disorders Clinic and Division of Sleep Studies, we recruited 57 patients, clinically assessed as having sleep attack and/or EDS. Nocturnal polysomnography and multiple sleep latency test(MSLT) were done in each of the subjects. We selected 19 subjects finally diagnosed as narcolepsy(mean age $26.0{\pm}18.3$ years, 16 men and 3 women) for this study, depending on the nocturnal polysomnographic and MSLT findings as well as clinical history and symptomatology. Any subject co-morbid with other hypersomnic sleep disorders such as sleep apnea or periodic limb movements during sleep was excluded. Sleep staging was done using Rechtschaffen and Kales criteria. Sleep parameters were calculated using PSDENT program(Stanford Sleep Clinic, version 1.2) and were compared with the age-matched normal values provided in the program. In narcoleptics, compared with the normal controls, total wake time was found to be significantly increased with significantly decreased sleep efficiency(p<.01, p<.05, respectively), despite no difference of sleep period time and total sleep time between the two groups. Stage 2 sleep%(p<.05), slow wave sleep%(p<.05), and REM sleep%(p<.01) were found to be significantly decreased in narcoleptics compared with normal controls, accompanied by the significant increase of stage 1 sleep%(p<.01). Age showed negative correlation with slow wave sleep%(p<.05). The findings in the present study indicate significant fragmentation of nocturnal sleep in narcoleptics. Reduction of REM sleep% and the total number of REM sleep periods suggests the disturbance of nocturnal REM sleep distribution in narcoleptics. No significant correlations between nocturnal polysomnographic and MSLT variables in narcoleptics suggest that nocturnal sleep disturbance in narcoleptics may be dealt with, in itself, in diagnosing and managing narcolepsy. With the objective demonstration of qualitative and quantitative characteristics of nocturnal and daytime sleep in narcoleptics, we suggest that more attention be paid to the nocturnal sleep fragmentation in narcoleptics and that appropriate treatment interventions such as active drug therapy and/or circadian rhythm-oriented sleep hygiene education be applied as needed.

• Proceedings of the ESK Conference
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• 1992.10a
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• pp.96-103
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• 1992

To get a comfortable sleep, the most improtant thing is how well we do thermorgulate during the rest in bed before sleeping as well as during sleep. In other works, the ambient temperature of the sleeping room is very improtant in the organization of human sleep. In recent years, the effect of ambient temperature on human sleep has been increasingly stueided. These studies were primarily concerned with the relation between thermorgulatory processes and sleep, and more precisely with the findings that various thermoregulatory processes are inactivated or severly curtailed during REM sleep in a number of animals, also that panting and shivering in heat and cold, respectively, cease during REM sleep in cats. Haskel et al. noted that although REM sleep latency was increased at thigh and low temperature. REM sleep was depressed to a greater extent by lower than by higher temperatures whereas the reverse was obseved for SWS. It has also been found that a load omposed upon thermoregulatory mechanisms should markedly affect sleep processes, and that conversely, sleep in conditions of thermic stress should interfere with adequate thermorgulatory reactions. Sleep in an animala under thermic stress is, on the whole, both shorter and less deep than under normal thermic conditions.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.64 no.3
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• pp.111-116
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• 2021

In infants and young children, bedtime problems and night waking are common and the main presentations of insomnia. Poor sleep may critically impact the daytime functioning and mood of the child and their caregivers. A comprehensive sleep history, a sleep diary/log, and the BEARS (Bedtime problems, Excessive daytime sleepiness, Awakenings during the night, Regularity and duration of sleep, and Sleep-disordered breathing) sleep screen are useful for diagnosing sleep problems in young children. Behavioral therapies for this type of insomnia include extinction, bedtime fading with positive routines, and scheduled awakening. Previous studies of behavioral interventions for young children showed significant improvements in sleep-onset latency, night waking frequency, and night waking duration. Parent education about their child's sleep, bedtime routines, and sleep hygiene is essential for treatment.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Emotion and Sensibility Conference
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.86-90
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• 2000

The effects of the timing of daily bathing on sleep in winter were studied. Eight healthy male subjects were assigned to three sleep conditions: bathing just before sleeping (Condition J), bathing 2 h before sleeping (Condition T0 and no bathing before sleeping (Control). We can found that slow wave sleep and REM sleep were increased, and sleep onset latency and wake after sleep onset were shortened in Condition T compared with Condition J. Rectal and mean skin temperatures n both bathing conditions were the same levels after the first half of sleep. Furthermore, subjective sleep sensation was the highest value in Condition T. These results suggest that bathing done before going to bed in winter was good for sleep; moreover, bathing 2 h before going to bed was more effective than bathing immediately before going to bed.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.98-104
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess sleep quality and to identify predictors of poor sleep quality in nursing students. Methods: The participants surveyed were 302 individuals at G College located in Kangwon-do. The participants completed the questionnaire including demographic characteristics, health behavior, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for sleep quality. The BMI was calculated using height and weight. For the statistical analysis, $X^2$ test, Spearman correlation, and logistic regression were performed using the SAS window (version 9.2) program. Results: From the 302 individuals, 219 (72.5%) had poor sleep quality. The results showed significant correlations between physical activity and sleep quality, as well as between sleep duration and sleep quality. The BMI and sleep quality did not show any significant relationship. The factors affecting sleep quality were sleep latency (OR, 4.167; 95% CI, 1.406-12.344), sleep duration (OR, 6.717; 95% CI, 2.386-18.912), and sedentary hours (OR, 2.971; 95% CI, 1.095-8.064). Conclusion: The study demonstrates that poor sleep quality is common in nursing students, and intervention study is needed to improve sleep quality in nursing students. Additional studies are needed to determine the relationship between BMI and sleep quality.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.27-31
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• 2005

Objectives: We attempted to compare the performance of 2 commercially available actigraphies with focus on sleep parameters, using polysomnography as standard comparison tool. Methods: Fourteen normal volunteers (5 males and 9 females, mean age of $28{\pm}4.6\;years$) participated in this study. All the participants went through one night of polysomnography, simultaneously wearing 2 different kinds of actigraphies on each wrist. Polysomnographic and actigraphic data were stored, downloaded, and processed according to standard protocols and then statistically compared. Results: Both $ActiWatch^{(R)}$ and $SleepWatch^{(R)}$ tended to overestimate the total sleep time, compared to the polysomnography. $SleepWatch^{(R)}$ tended to underestimate the sleep latency. The two actigraphs and the polysomnograph did not show significant difference of sleep efficiency, when compared with one another. In addition, all of the sleep parameters from the instruments showed linear correlations except in $SleepWatch^{(R)}'s$ sleep latency. The sleep parameters from the two actigraphs did not show much noteworthy difference, and linear relationships were found between the sleep parameters from the two actigraphs. There was no significant distinction in the results of the two different actigraphs. Conclusion: The results of two actigraphies can be used interchangeably since the sleep parameters of the two different actigraphies do not show significant differences statistically. Overall, it is not legitimate to use actigraphy as a substitute for polysomnography. However, since sleep parameters except sleep latency show linear correlations, actigraphy might possibly be used to follow up patients after polysomnography.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.479-485
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• 2015

This study was performed to investigate the sedative-hypnotic activity of ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-enriched fermented marine organisms (FMO), including sea tangle (FST) and oyster (FO) by Lactobacillus brevis BJ20 (L. brevis BJ20). FST and FO were tested for their binding activity of the $GABA_A$-benzodiazepine and 5-$HT_{2C}$ receptors, which are well-known molecular targets for sleep aids. We also measured the sleep latency and sleep duration during pentobarbital-induced sleep in mice after oral administration of FST and FO. In $GABA_A$ and 5-$HT_{2C}$ receptor binding assays, FST displayed an effective concentration-dependent binding affinity to $GABA_A$ receptor, similar to the binding affinity to 5-$HT_{2C}$ receptor. FO exhibited higher affinity to 5-$HT_{2C}$ receptor, compared with the $GABA_A$ receptor. The oral administration of FST and FO produced a dose-dependent decrease in sleep latency and increase in sleep duration in pentobarbital-induced hypnosis. The data demonstrate that FST and FO possess sedativehypnotic activity possibly by modulating $GABA_A$ and 5-$HT_{2C}$ receptors. We propose that FST and FO might be effective agents for treatment of insomnia.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.307-312
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• 2007

This study was performed to evaluate sleep efficiencies and conditions for comfortable sleep based on the analysis of sleep efficiency and MST under four thermals conditions ($22^{\circ}C,\;24^{\circ}C,\;26^{\circ}C,\;30^{\circ}C$). Five female subjects who have similar life cycle and sleep patterns were participated for the sleep experiment. Their age was from 20 to 22 years old. They were healthy, and had regular sleep with consistent bed and wakeup time. It was checked whether they had a good sleep before the night of experiment. Experiments were performed in an environmental chamber using thermo-hygrostat. The physiological signal (EEG) for sleep stage were obtained from C3-A2 and C4-Al electrode sites. Sleep stages were classified, then SWS latency and SWS/TST were calculated for the evaluation for sleep efficiencies on thermal conditions. As results, mean skin temperature for comfort sleeping was $34.5{\sim}35.4^{\circ}C$. Considering sleep efficiency and mean skin temperature, indoor room temperature of upper limit was $28.1^{\circ}C$.