The effects of distal limb warming on sleep latency.
Item
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Title
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The effects of distal limb warming on sleep latency.
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Identifier
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AAI3115244
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identifier
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3115244
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Creator
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Ebben, Matthew R.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Arthur J. Spielman
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Date
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2004
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Psychology, Behavioral | Psychology, Physiological
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Abstract
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The purpose of this study is to investigate the functional relationship between sleep and temperature regulation. Are these two functions so intimately linked that an externally produced change in temperature regulation will trigger sleep? One group has found that the single best predictor of sleep onset is an increase in the amount of hand and foot warming relative to more proximal areas (1) Therefore as a next step we wanted to know if an increase in sleepiness would also occur if the distal limbs were warmed through an external manipulation. Consequently, in the current study, five minutes before participants (N = 11) attempted to fall asleep on a multiple sleep latency test (MSLT; 2) nap their hands and feet were immersed in water heated to either 42°C (treatment condition) or water heated to the temperature of the warmest limbs (control condition). The results showed no significant difference between the warm and control water conditions. There was a significant decrease in sleep latency in the control and warm water conditions compared to the initial (non-counterbalanced) baseline MSLT. Of note, although the greatest amount of warming occurred in the warm water condition, there was also a significant amount of warming in the control water condition. Therefore, even mild limb warming may produce a decrease in sleep latency. Alternatively, this difference found may be due to a longer sleep latency on the first MSLT performed in the lab (this was always the baseline MSLT) or possibly immersion in water regardless of temperature caused the decrease in sleep latency between the water conditions and baseline MSLT. Further investigation is required to determine which of these hypotheses is correct.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
