Behavioural response home monitoring of good and insomniac sleepers

Can J Psychol. 1991 Jun;45(2):169-78. doi: 10.1037/h0084281.

Abstract

Can the fundamental differences in sleep structure known to differentiate good from insomniac sleepers (e.g., sleep length, sleep onset latency [SOL], number of sleep disruptions, etc.) be identified using a behavioural sleep/wake (S/W) monitor in the home? Sixteen women (8 good and 8 insomniac sleepers) enrolled in an introductory psychology course participated in a study of S/W patterns. They used a portable version of the Ogilvie and Wilkinson (1988) behavioural response (BR) system in their homes for 4 consecutive nights. Insomniacs had greater SOLs, less efficient sleep, and tended to have a greater number of arousals as compared with good sleepers. The data indicate that the behavioural system could be used as a diagnostic tool for in-home evaluations of disorders of initiating and maintaining sleep.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Behavior / physiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Monitoring, Physiologic*
  • Sleep / physiology*
  • Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / physiopathology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires