S Zimmermann

The effect of room acoustics on the sleep quality of healthy sleepers

Introduction: Noise is one of the factors that can seriously disturb sleep, and sound volume is an important factor in this context. One strategy involves avoiding exposure to sounds in the night, while entail the minimization of background noise in a bedroom. The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of systematic sound attenuation on nocturnal sleep by influencing sound volume and reverberation within the context of room acoustics. Materials and Methods: On this basis, we designed a randomized, controlled crossover trial investigating 24 healthy sleepers (15 men and 9 women, aged 24.9 ± 4.1 years) with a body mass index (BMI) of 21.9 ± 1.6 kg/m2. Each participant slept for three consecutive nights at three different locations: (a) at our sleep lab, (b) at the participant’s home, and (c) at an acoustically isolated room. In addition to conduct of polysomnography (PSG), subjective sleep quality and nocturnal noise level were measured at each location. We likewise measured room temperature and relative humidity. Results: Under conditions of equal sleep efficiency, a significant increase in deep sleep, by 16–34 min, was determined in an acoustically isolated room in comparison to the two other sleep locations. Fewer arousal events and an increase in rapid eye movement (REM) latency became evident in an acoustically isolated environment. Sleep in a domestic environment was subjectively better than sleep under the two test conditions. Discussion: For healthy sleepers, room acoustics influence the microstructure of sleep, without subjective morning benefit. Reduction of noise level and of reverberation leads to an increase in the amount of deep sleep and to reduction of nocturnal arousal events, which is especially important for poor sleepers.

Prevalence and association analysis of obstructive sleep apnea with gender and age differences - Results of SHIP-Trend

Identification of obstructive sleep apnea and risk factors is important for reduction in symptoms and cardiovascular risk, and for improvement of quality of life. The population‐based Study of Health in Pomerania investigated risk factors and clinical diseases in a general population of northeast Germany. Additional polysomnography was applied to measure sleep and respiration with the objective of assessing prevalence and risk factors of obstructive sleep apnea in a German cohort. One‐thousand, two‐hundred and eight people between 20 and 81 years old (54% men, median age 54 years) underwent overnight polysomnography. The estimated obstructive sleep apnea prevalence was 46% (59% men, 33% women) for an apnea–hypopnea index ≥5%, and 21% (30% men, 13% women) for an apnea–hypopnea index ≥ 15. The estimated obstructive sleep apnea syndrome prevalence (apnea–hypopnea index ≥5; Epworth Sleepiness Scale >10) was 6%. The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea continuously increased with age for men and women with, however, later onset for women. Gender, age, body mass index, waist‐to‐hip ratio, snoring, alcohol consumption (for women only) and self‐reported cardiovascular diseases were significantly positively associated with obstructive sleep apnea, whereas daytime sleepiness was not. Diabetes, hypertension and metabolic syndrome were positively associated with severe obstructive sleep apnea. The associations became non‐significant after adjustment for body mass. Women exhibited stronger associations than men. The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea was high, with almost half the population presenting some kind of obstructive sleep apnea. The continuous increase of obstructive sleep apnea with age challenges the current theory that mortality due to obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular co‐morbidities affect obstructive sleep apnea prevalence at an advanced age. Also, gender differences regarding obstructive sleep apnea and associations are significant for recognizing obstructive sleep apnea mechanisms and therapy responsiveness.

Erratum zu: Auswirkungen von Fluglärm auf Schlaf und andere Schutzgüter

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