NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
AUGUST 15-21, 2012
HEALTH
Getting enough sleep essential for
physical and mental health
B3
Take charge of your health today. Be informed. Be involved.
ESTHER BUSH
Sleep and
sleep disorders
This monthʼs issue on sleep and sleep disorders is a continuation of the monthly series started last year, focusing on health disparities in the Pittsburgh region. The series
is a partnership among the New Pittsburgh
Courier, Community PARTners (a core service of the University of Pittsburghʼs Clinical
and Translational Science Institute—CTSI)
and the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh. Peter L. Franzen, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry at Pitt, sat down with
Esther L. Bush, president and CEO of the
Urban League, to talk about this monthʼs
topic.
PF: Iʼm excited to see the partnership with
the New Pittsburgh Courier and CTSI is renewed for another eight segments. Thank
you, Ms. Bush, for making this possible and
for your continued support. Weʼre particularly grateful for the opportunity to highlight
ongoing research studies of sleep and sleep
disorders that are seeking participants.
Many people seem not to realize how important sleep is for our health. What concerns you most about sleep health?
EB: Sleep is important for so many aspects of physical health and mental health.
Knowing this, I would agree that we all need
to try and sleep more and sleep better, even
though our lives are so busy. I am especially concerned that parents and children
be made aware how closely short sleep is
linked to poorer academic performance in
youths.
PF: Would you consider participating in a
sleep study?
EB: Well, it turns out that I have participated in a sleep study, and I would gladly
do so again. I was treated well throughout
the study. I also feel it is very important that
the African American community get engaged in research. For us to better understand why health disparities exist, it is important to include a diverse sample in research studies. We are fortunate to have
fantastic universities and medical centers in
Pittsburgh, and our community has the potential to influence science and health issues important to the African American community. Given the importance of sleep for
academic and emotional functioning for
youths of all ages, the outcomes of this research may help influence social policy. For
example, the study investigating the effects
of sleep loss in adolescents has the potential to influence local school start times, a
very important topic under consideration by
the Pittsburgh Public Schools.
Listing of
current research
studies
The University of Pittsburgh has many
researchers who study sleep and many
other topics. They are always looking
for people to participate in studies, especially people from diverse communities who have been historically underrepresented in research. A research
study is a scientific way to improve or
develop new methods of health care.
There are many types of studies. Some
studies like clinical trials test new treatments for diseases and disorders.
Other studies use interviews or surveys
to understand health and behavior. Research studies are important because
they further knowledge of scientific research and medical care. Research is
the fastest and safest way to find treatments that work. By choosing to participate in research, you can learn about
ways to possibly improve your health,
help with the evaluation of medications,
tests or programs that may not be
available outside of research and potentially help others. Your participation
in research is always voluntary and
confidential.
Some current studies are listed at
right. Researchers are looking for people of all ages who have normal sleep
and those who have sleep problems.
The investigators and their research
teams would be happy to explain the
study in more detail and answer any
questions you may have. Please tell
them that you read about their study in
the New Pittsburgh Courier!
Why do we sleep? How much sleep is
normal? What should I do if I donʼt sleep
well?
These seem like simple questions, but the
answers are more complicated—and more
interesting—than you might think. Doctors
and researchers at the University of Pittsburgh are working to find answers to these
and many other questions related to sleep
and sleep disorders.
Getting enough good-quality sleep not
only feels good, it is essential for physical
and mental health. For example, as shown
in Figure 1, researchers at the University of
Pittsburgh found that not getting enough
sleep leads to higher blood pressure readings in response to psychological stress
(the stress used in the study was the
preparation and delivery of a speech).
Blood pressure readings are lower when research participants are tested following a
night of normal sleep. Other studies have
shown that not getting enough sleep is associated with all sorts of problems in addition to high blood pressure, such as heart
disease, diabetes, depression, and substance use. Even hormones that control appetite are affected by sleep loss, and being
overweight is more common in people who
donʼt sleep enough.
Although human beings spend about onethird of their lives sleeping, the amount and
the way we sleep change from infancy to
old age. Infants spend about half of their
days sleeping, and the usual day-night pattern typically appears at about 2 to 4
months of age. The amount of sleep we get
gradually decreases across childhood, but
children still need about nine to 10 hours in
a 24-hour period. Sleep changes again at
puberty, getting shorter, lighter, and later.
Adolescents need eight to nine hours of
good-quality sleep, but they stay awake
later. That, in combination with early school
start times, often means they get fewer
hours than they need. About two-thirds of
high school students report getting seven or
fewer hours of sleep on a typical school
night. Fewer hours of sleep in young people has been linked to problems, such as
lower academic performance, increased
risk for automobile accidents, delinquent
behavior, depression, and even suicide.
Adults also commonly get fewer than the
recommended seven to eight hours of
sleep because of jobs, family responsibilities, stress, and socializing. In later life,
sleep often becomes lighter and more disrupted. This is often because of medical
problems, medications, changes in activity
levels, and a general weakening of sleep
drive.
Sleep disorders affect about 30 percent of
all people in the United States. Insomnia, a
difficulty falling or staying asleep, is the
most common sleep disorder. Sleep apnea
is another common and serious sleep disorder. Its symptoms are loud snoring, breathing pauses at night, and daytime sleepiness. Other sleep disorders include restless
legs syndrome (an urge to move your legs,
with creepy-crawly sensations), nightmares,
sleep terrors, and narcolepsy (excessive
sleepiness and falling asleep at inappropriate times).
Many of these sleep problems and their associated health concerns are found more
often in the African American community. For
example, insomnia and sleep apnea are more
common in African Americans. African Americans also seem to have fewer hours of deep
sleep than Whites and Asians.
Sleep problems can be treated. Sometimes
the solution seems simple, such as making
sleep a priority so you can feel as rested as
possible. In other cases, the solutions may require evaluation and treatment by a sleep professional. Sleep doctors may want to order an
overnight sleep test or other studies to get a
better understanding of your sleep. Treatments
may involve medications, specific changes to
During a sleep study, researchers often use polysomnography
to monitor body functions such as brain activity, eye movements, muscle activity, heart rhythm and breathing. In this picture, body functions are being tracked over time (represented
by the jagged lines) while a study participant is sleeping.
Polysomnography is often used as a measure of sleep, as well
as to help diagnose or rule out sleep disorders.
how you sleep, or ways to improve
breathing during sleep with the use of a
positive airway pressure device or even
surgery.
You canʼt cheat sleep; itʼs a critical aspect of your overall health. Prioritize
your sleep, and talk to your doctor if
youʼre having problems with your sleep
at night or sleepiness during the day. If
youʼre interested in learning more about
sleep research studies being conducted
at the University of Pittsburgh, see the
list on this page.
More sleep problems in
African-American Community?
Researchers know that sleep problems, including insomnia and
sleep apnea, are found more often in the African American community. African Americans also seem to have fewer hours of deep
sleep than Whites and Asians. Could sleep problems be contributing to higher rates of health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes and obesity, in African Americans? Until recently, the possible
impact of impaired sleep on such racial/ethnic health disparities
was unrecognized, but researchers are focusing on the issue, and
the National Institutes of Health recently organized a workshop on
the role of sleep disorders in contributing to health disparities. Many
of these health problems occur in higher numbers in African American communities in Allegheny County and across the United
States. For example, 19 percent of all African Americans in the
country are living with diabetes, which is the eighth leading cause
of death for African Americans in Allegheny County and a disease
that kills twice as many African Americans as Whites. Thus, the link
between sleep health and physical health may be particularly important for African Americans.