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Sleep Medicine Reviews Jun 2021Emerging studies across learning domains have shed light on mechanisms underlying sleep's benefits during numerous developmental periods. In this conceptual review, we... (Review)
Review
Emerging studies across learning domains have shed light on mechanisms underlying sleep's benefits during numerous developmental periods. In this conceptual review, we survey recent studies of sleep and cognition across infancy, childhood, and adolescence. By summarizing recent findings and integrating across studies with disparate approaches, we provide a novel understanding of sleep's role in human cognitive function. Collectively, these studies point to an interrelation between brain development, sleep, and cognition. Moreover, we point to gaps in our understanding, which inform the agenda for future research in developmental and sleep science.
Topics: Adolescent; Child; Cognition; Humans; Learning; Sleep
PubMed: 33827030
DOI: 10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101472 -
Nature Reviews. Endocrinology Feb 2023Traditional risk factors for obesity and the metabolic syndrome, such as excess energy intake and lack of physical activity, cannot fully explain the high prevalence of... (Review)
Review
Traditional risk factors for obesity and the metabolic syndrome, such as excess energy intake and lack of physical activity, cannot fully explain the high prevalence of these conditions. Insufficient sleep and circadian misalignment predispose individuals to poor metabolic health and promote weight gain and have received increased research attention in the past 10 years. Insufficient sleep is defined as sleeping less than recommended for health benefits, whereas circadian misalignment is defined as wakefulness and food intake occurring when the internal circadian system is promoting sleep. This Review discusses the impact of insufficient sleep and circadian misalignment in humans on appetite hormones (focusing on ghrelin, leptin and peptide-YY), energy expenditure, food intake and choice, and risk of obesity. Some potential strategies to reduce the adverse effects of sleep disruption on metabolic health are provided and future research priorities are highlighted. Millions of individuals worldwide do not obtain sufficient sleep for healthy metabolic functions. Furthermore, modern working patterns, lifestyles and technologies are often not conducive to adequate sleep at times when the internal physiological clock is promoting it (for example, late-night screen time, shift work and nocturnal social activities). Efforts are needed to highlight the importance of optimal sleep and circadian health in the maintenance of metabolic health and body weight regulation.
Topics: Humans; Sleep Deprivation; Circadian Rhythm; Sleep; Obesity; Weight Gain
PubMed: 36280789
DOI: 10.1038/s41574-022-00747-7 -
Mediators of Inflammation 2020Sleep disorder significantly affects the life quality of a large number of people but is still an underrecognized disease. Dietary nutrition is believed to play a... (Review)
Review
Sleep disorder significantly affects the life quality of a large number of people but is still an underrecognized disease. Dietary nutrition is believed to play a significant impact on sleeping wellness. Many nutritional supplements have been used trying to benefit sleep wellness. However, the relationship between nutritional components and sleep is complicated. Nutritional factors vary dramatically with different diet patterns and depend significantly on the digestive and metabiotic functions of each individual. Moreover, nutrition can profoundly affect the hormones and inflammation status which directly or indirectly contribute to insomnia. In this review, we summarized the role of major nutritional factors, carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, and vitamins on sleep and sleep disorders and discussed the potential mechanisms.
Topics: Amino Acids; Dietary Supplements; Humans; Nutritional Status; Sleep; Sleep Wake Disorders
PubMed: 32684833
DOI: 10.1155/2020/3142874 -
Physiological Reviews Apr 2013Over more than a century of research has established the fact that sleep benefits the retention of memory. In this review we aim to comprehensively cover the field of... (Review)
Review
Over more than a century of research has established the fact that sleep benefits the retention of memory. In this review we aim to comprehensively cover the field of "sleep and memory" research by providing a historical perspective on concepts and a discussion of more recent key findings. Whereas initial theories posed a passive role for sleep enhancing memories by protecting them from interfering stimuli, current theories highlight an active role for sleep in which memories undergo a process of system consolidation during sleep. Whereas older research concentrated on the role of rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep, recent work has revealed the importance of slow-wave sleep (SWS) for memory consolidation and also enlightened some of the underlying electrophysiological, neurochemical, and genetic mechanisms, as well as developmental aspects in these processes. Specifically, newer findings characterize sleep as a brain state optimizing memory consolidation, in opposition to the waking brain being optimized for encoding of memories. Consolidation originates from reactivation of recently encoded neuronal memory representations, which occur during SWS and transform respective representations for integration into long-term memory. Ensuing REM sleep may stabilize transformed memories. While elaborated with respect to hippocampus-dependent memories, the concept of an active redistribution of memory representations from networks serving as temporary store into long-term stores might hold also for non-hippocampus-dependent memory, and even for nonneuronal, i.e., immunological memories, giving rise to the idea that the offline consolidation of memory during sleep represents a principle of long-term memory formation established in quite different physiological systems.
Topics: Animals; Brain; Humans; Learning; Memory; Neuronal Plasticity; Neurons; Sleep
PubMed: 23589831
DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00032.2012 -
International Journal of Environmental... Dec 2021Standard polysomnographic analysis of sleep has not provided evidence of an objective measure of sleep quality; however, factors such as sleep duration and sleep... (Review)
Review
Standard polysomnographic analysis of sleep has not provided evidence of an objective measure of sleep quality; however, factors such as sleep duration and sleep efficiency are those more consistently associated with the subjective perception of sleep quality. Sleep reduction as currently occurs in our 24/7 society has had a profound impact on sleep quality; the habitual sleep period should fit within what is a limited nighttime window and may not be sufficient to satisfy the whole sleep process; moreover, the use of artificial light during the evening and early night hours can delay and disturb the circadian rhythms, especially affecting REM sleep. The correct phase relationship of the sleep period with the circadian pacemaker is an important factor to guarantee adequate restorative sleep duration and sleep continuity, thus providing the necessary background for a good night's sleep. Due to the fact that REM sleep is controlled by the circadian clock, it can provide a window-like mechanism that defines the termination of the sleep period when there is still the necessity to complete the sleep process (not only wake-related homeostasis) and to meet the circadian end of sleep timing. An adequate amount of REM sleep appears necessary to guarantee sleep continuity, while periodically activating the brain and preparing it for the return to consciousness.
Topics: Brain; Circadian Rhythm; Sleep; Sleep Quality; Sleep, REM
PubMed: 34948586
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182412976 -
Medicina 2019Sleep is an active and cyclic physiological process that has a critical impact on health. Its functions are numerous: growth, development, learning, memory, synaptic... (Review)
Review
Sleep is an active and cyclic physiological process that has a critical impact on health. Its functions are numerous: growth, development, learning, memory, synaptic efficiency, regulation of behavior, emotion, immune strengthening and cleaning time of neurotoxic substances. During the first years of life, there are a number of important changes in development, which lead to the expected pattern of sleep and wakefulness in adults. The sleep occupies a third of the adult's life. However, sleeping during the first months of life takes up more than 50% of time. This review of the topic will describe normal sleep patterns in childhood.
Topics: Child; Humans; Sleep; Wakefulness
PubMed: 31603839
DOI: No ID Found -
Endocrine Development 2010Compared to a few decades ago, adults, as well as children, sleep less. Sleeping as little as possible is often seen as an admirable behavior in contemporary society.... (Review)
Review
Compared to a few decades ago, adults, as well as children, sleep less. Sleeping as little as possible is often seen as an admirable behavior in contemporary society. However, sleep plays a major role in neuroendocrine function and glucose metabolism. Evidence that the curtailment of sleep duration may have adverse health effects has emerged in the past 10 years. Accumulating evidence from both epidemiologic studies and well-controlled laboratory studies indicates that chronic partial sleep loss may increase the risk of obesity and weight gain. The present chapter reviews epidemiologic studies in adults and children and laboratory studies in young adults indicating that sleep restriction results in metabolic and endocrine alterations, including decreased glucose tolerance, decreased insulin sensitivity, increased evening concentrations of cortisol, increased levels of ghrelin, decreased levels of leptin and increased hunger and appetite. Altogether, the evidence points to a possible role of decreased sleep duration in the current epidemic of obesity. Bedtime extension in short sleepers should be explored as a novel behavioral intervention that may prevent weight gain or facilitate weight loss. Avoiding sleep deprivation may help to prevent the development of obesity, particularly in children.
Topics: Adolescent; Animals; Appetite; Child; Glucose; Hormones; Humans; Obesity; Sleep; Sleep Deprivation
PubMed: 19955752
DOI: 10.1159/000262524 -
Handbook of Clinical Neurology 2014Alcohol acts as a sedative that interacts with several neurotransmitter systems important in the regulation of sleep. Acute administration of large amounts of alcohol... (Review)
Review
Alcohol acts as a sedative that interacts with several neurotransmitter systems important in the regulation of sleep. Acute administration of large amounts of alcohol prior to sleep leads to decreased sleep-onset latency and changes in sleep architecture early in the night, when blood alcohol levels are high, with subsequent disrupted, poor-quality sleep later in the night. Alcohol abuse and dependence are associated with chronic sleep disturbance, lower slow-wave sleep, and more rapid-eye-movement sleep than normal, that last long into periods of abstinence and may play a role in relapse. This chapter outlines the evidence for acute and chronic alcohol effects on sleep architecture and sleep electroencephalogram, evidence for tolerance with repeated administration, and possible underlying neurochemical mechanisms for alcohol's effects on sleep. Also discussed are sex differences as well as effects of alcohol on sleep homeostasis and circadian regulation. Evidence for the role of sleep disruption as a risk factor for developing alcohol dependence is discussed in the context of research conducted in adolescents. The utility of sleep-evoked potentials in the assessment of the effects of alcoholism on sleep and the brain and in abstinence-mediated recovery is also outlined. The chapter concludes with a series of questions that need to be answered to determine the role of sleep and sleep disturbance in the development and maintenance of problem drinking and the potential beneficial effects of the treatment of sleep disorders for maintenance of abstinence in alcoholism.
Topics: Alcohol Drinking; Alcoholism; Animals; Brain; Ethanol; Humans; Polysomnography; Sleep; Sleep Stages; Sleep Wake Disorders
PubMed: 25307588
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-62619-6.00024-0 -
Current Opinion in Neurobiology Feb 2019Sleep has been universally conserved across animal species. The basic functions of sleep remain unclear, but insufficient sleep impairs memory acquisition and retention... (Review)
Review
Sleep has been universally conserved across animal species. The basic functions of sleep remain unclear, but insufficient sleep impairs memory acquisition and retention in both vertebrates and invertebrates. Sleep is also a homeostatic process that is influenced not only by the amount of time awake, but also by neural activity and plasticity. Because of the breadth and precision of available genetic tools, the fruit fly has become a powerful model system to understand sleep regulation and function. Importantly, these tools enable the dissection of memory-encoding circuits at the level of individual neurons, and have allowed the development of genetic tools to induce sleep on-demand. This review describes recent investigations of the role for sleep in memory using Drosophila and current hypotheses of sleep's functions for supporting plasticity, learning, and memory.
Topics: Animals; Brain; Diptera; Memory; Neurons; Sleep; Synapses
PubMed: 30366270
DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2018.10.006 -
Sleep Health Oct 2019Many do not sleep well, particularly middle-aged and older adults. Physical activity (PA) shows promise for improving sleep; however, populations with clinical sleep... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
OBJECTIVES
Many do not sleep well, particularly middle-aged and older adults. Physical activity (PA) shows promise for improving sleep; however, populations with clinical sleep disturbances have been a research focus. It remains unclear whether low-impact daily PA, like walking, can affect sleep in healthy adults.
DESIGN
The current study was embedded within a 4-week randomized controlled trial to increase PA.
SETTING
Participants from the greater Boston area were recruited to participate in a 4-week walking intervention on a rolling basis between October 2015 and August 2016.
PARTICIPANTS
Fifty-nine participants (72% female) were enrolled in the study, with an average age of 49.43 (±8.40) years.
INTERVENTION
The 4-week intervention was aimed at increasing participants' daily steps as the primary outcome. The current, supplementary study examined relationships between monthly and daily PA and sleep.
MEASUREMENTS
Steps and active minutes were measured daily using a Fitbit Zip. Self-reports of sleep quality and duration were assessed daily, along with before and after the intervention.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
Averaged across the month, daily active minutes were positively related to sleep quality but not duration. Sex moderated this relationship; women who took more steps and were more active reported sleeping better than those less active. Within persons, on days that participants were more active than average, they reported better sleep quality and duration in both sexes. Results suggest that low-impact PA is positively related to sleep, more so in women than men. Findings also showed that PA plays a greater role in predicting sleep quality than duration.
Topics: Adult; Boston; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Sleep; Time Factors; Walking
PubMed: 31358470
DOI: 10.1016/j.sleh.2019.06.003