PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate sleep habits, sleep disturbance, and circadian types, and to identify factors influencing sleep disturbance in nursing students. METHODS: Participants were 140 senior nursing students. The data were collected from May 19 to 27, 2008 using self-report questionnaires. RESULTS: 1) Evening type delayed sleep-wake schedules were more frequent than for morning type, especially during weekend and evening shift duty. 2) In total sleep time, there were no significant statistical differences between morning type and evening type during weekdays, weekend, day or evening shift duty. 3) On weekdays and day shift duty, the mean score for sleep disturbance was significantly higher in the evening type compared to the morning type. 4) Sleep disturbance in weekday and day shift duty was influenced by circadian types, eating habits, and gender. CONCLUSION: The circadian types are a very important factor for determining the sleep quantity and quality in nursing students.
*Circadian Rhythm ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Questionnaires ; Sex Factors ; *Sleep ; Sleep Disorders, Circadian Rhythm/prevention & control ; Students, Nursing/*psychology ; Young Adult

Physiological and behavioral rhythms are governed by an endogenous circadian clock. In this paper are reported the studies on soldier's circadian of melatonin concentrations by means of electricity and light pulses presented to the popliteal region (behind the knee). The results showed that the phase of melatonin concentrations can be regulated by both the electricity pulses and the light pulses. A systematic relation was found between the timing of the electro-stimulating and the magnitude and direction of phase shifts, resulting in the generation of a phase response curve. The phase response curve displayed photic model. These findings have implications for the development of more effective treatments for sleep and circadian rhythm disorders.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Chronobiology Disorders ; prevention & control ; Circadian Rhythm ; physiology ; radiation effects ; Electric Stimulation ; Humans ; Male ; Melatonin ; blood ; physiology ; Military Personnel ; Photic Stimulation ; Sleep Disorders, Circadian Rhythm ; prevention & control

OBJECTIVESTo characterize the prethrombotic state (PTS) in elderly Chinese patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) and the effect of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) ventilation on their PTS.

METHODSForty-one elderly patients with moderate and severe OSAHS were enrolled into the OSAHS group and underwent nCPAP treatment. Their blood samples were drawn at 6:00 am and 4:00 pm before and during nCPAP treatment, respectively, to test hemocrit, platelet aggregation (PAG), whole blood viscosity (WBV), plasma fibrinogen (fng), prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT). All blood factors were also tested in a control group consisting of 32 healthy elderly Chinese with neither OSAHS nor cerebrocardiac vascular disease.

RESULTSIn the OSAHS group there was a significantly higher hemocrit, WBV, fng, and a significantly shorter PT and APTT at 6:00 am compared to 4:00 pm before nCPAP treatment, while there was no significant difference among all blood test factors between 6:00 am and 4:00 pm on day 30 of the nCPAP treatment. In the OSAHS group, the hemocrit, WBV, PAG and plasma fng were significantly lower and the PT and APTT were significantly longer at 6:00 am on day 30 of the nCPAP treatment compared to 6:00 am before the nCPAP treatment. A significantly lower hemocrit, but a much longer PT and APTT were observed at 4:00 pm on day 30 of the treatment, compared with 4:00 pm before the treatment. No significant difference among the blood test factors was found between 6:00 am and 4:00 pm blood in the control group or between the control and OSAHS groups after 30 days of nCPAP treatment.

CONCLUSIONIn elderly Chinese OSAHS patients, PTS could be effectively eliminated by nCPAP treatment.

Aged ; Cerebrovascular Disorders ; prevention & control ; China ; Continuous Positive Airway Pressure ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; blood ; therapy

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among quality of sleep, depression, late-life function and disability in community-dwelling older women with urinary incontinence. METHODS: A stratified random sampling method was conducted to recruit participants from May 10 to August 17, 2007. Data were collected by questionnaires, which were constructed to include lower urinary tract symptoms, quality of sleep, depression, and late-life function and disability in 128 community-dwelling older women. RESULTS: The major findings of this study were as follow: 1) 56.3% of participants belonged to urinary incontinence group. 2) There were significant relationships between depression and sleep latency, sleep duration, daytime dysfunction, quality of sleep, function component, frequency dimension, and limitation dimension. 3) Depression was significantly associated with frequency dimension, limitation dimension in capability which explained 44% of variance in depression. CONCLUSION: These results may contribute to a better understanding of sleep quality, depression, latelife function and disability in the community-dwelling older women with urinary incontinence. Therefore, health programs for prompting older women's health should be planned based on results of the study.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Chi-Square Distribution ; *Depression ; Female ; Humans ; Quality of Life ; Questionnaires ; Residence Characteristics ; Sleep ; Sleep Disorders/prevention & control/*psychology ; Translating ; Urinary Incontinence/physiopathology/*psychology

INTRODUCTIONThis study aimed to examine how improving infant sleep impacted the emotional well-being of mothers.

METHODSThe participants were 80 mothers of infants aged 6-12 months; they attended a primary care medical clinic in Adelaide, Australia, for assistance with infant sleep problems. Behavioural intervention consisted of a 45-minute consultation, where verbal and written information describing sleep physiology and strategies to improve infant sleep was provided. Mothers were followed up 2-6 weeks later. Mothers rated their confidence (C), pleasure (P) and frustration (F) on a scale from 0 to 10, and completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21 at each consultation. The number of night-time awakenings and time taken to see an improvement in infant sleep were also reported.

RESULTSThere was a significant increase in the C and P scores, and a significant decrease in the F scores (all p < 0.001). The mean total CPF score increased significantly from 14 to 25 (maximum score = 30). There was also a significant decrease in depression, anxiety and stress in the mothers (all p < 0.001). The mean number of maximum night awakenings also decreased significantly, from 4.9 to 0.5 (p < 0.001). The mean time taken to see improved infant sleep, as reported by the mothers, was 2.8 nights.

CONCLUSIONA single consultation using a behavioural strategy to improve infant sleep was effective in improving infant sleep and in increasing maternal emotional well-being. In particular, the scores for 'pleasure in being a mother' increased dramatically.

Adult ; Australia ; Depression, Postpartum ; etiology ; prevention & control ; psychology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Care ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Mother-Child Relations ; Mothers ; psychology ; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales ; Sleep Wake Disorders ; complications ; prevention & control

PURPOSE: The purpose of this research was to analyze the effects of an eye protective device and ear protective device application on sleep disorder with coronary disease patients in CCU. METHODS: The research design was set up as a nonequivalent control group non-synchronized design. The subjects were coronary disease patients in the CCU of a tertiary hospital. The subjects were composed of 20 in the group with an eye protective device, 18 in the group with an ear protective device, 17 in the group with an eye protective device and ear protective device and 20 in the control group. The data was analyzed by chi-square-test, ANOVA, Repeated measures ANOVA, Sheffe-test, Simple main effect and Time contrast using SPSS Win 12.0. RESULTS: The hypothesis, 'There are significant differences in sleep quantity among the four groups' was supported (F=1,342.71, p=.000). The hypothesis, 'There are significant differences in the subjective evaluation of the general sleep patterns among the four groups' was supported (F=3,638.73, p=.000). In addition the hypothesis, 'There are significant differences in degree of sleep among the four groups' was supported (F=1,616.61, p=.000). CONCLUSION: It is cost effective and a simple eye protective device and ear protective device should be applied to patients according to their preference and characteristics in the clinical setting.
Aged ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Coronary Care Units ; Coronary Disease/*complications ; *Ear Protective Devices ; *Eye Protective Devices ; Female ; Health Facility Environment ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Lighting ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Noise ; Sleep Disorders/complications/*prevention & control