(1999) were congruent with the findings reached by Simpson, Lee, and Cameron (1996) that also requested patients to rate the environmental factors that most adversely affected their sleep, with the results of both studies shown that patients' sleep was disrupted when they felt uncomfortable, when they were awakened for procedures, and when the ICU environment was noisy. Further exacerbating the problem of sleep disruption and deprivation on the ICU is the fact that sleep may be elusive for many patients because of fears, anxiety and worries concerning their medical condition (Soh & Soh, 2008)
135). Because the most seriously ill patients in hospitals are located in the ICUs, the potential for harm due to sleep disturbance is particularly acute (Stanzak, 2006)
These researchers report that sleep deprivation adversely affects patient recovery and their ability to resist infection. Moreover, sleep deprivation frequently contributes to the onset of neurological problems such as delirium and causes respiratory problems due to the weakening of the upper airway muscles (Tembo & Parker, 2012)
3). There has also been research by nurses that has provided support for the conclusion that ICU-generated noise places patients at increased risk for experiencing sleep-related problems (Topf, Bookman & Arand, 1996)
146). One hospital that has led the way in reducing noise throughout its wards is Montefiore Medical Center located in the Bronx, New York (Walker, 2007)
3). Furthermore, critically ill patients in the ICU are routinely prescribed sedatives to facilitate their treatment and to increase their comfort levels, and these medications also allow some patients to better tolerate mechanical ventilation, provide an adjunct to pain management, and assist patients in coping with the psychosocial stresses of their critical illnesses (Weinhouse & Watson, 2009)
451). For the purposes of this study, noise is defined as "any unwanted or undesirable sound which is subjectively annoying or disrupts performance and is physiologically and psychologically stressful" (Wenham & Pittard, 2009, p
Ultimately, because the functions of sleep are not known, it is not possible to determine if the essential benefits of sleep are recovered during sedation" (pp. 540-541) What is also known is that patient reports of satisfaction with the quietness of their hospital rooms is a quality indicator in survey used by Press Ganey in their Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems scores (Wessel, 2012)
, 2001). Indeed, because peaceful sleep has been shown time and again to contribute to the convalescence process, the negative implications of noise in hospital units can be severe and include cardiovascular stimulation, hearing loss, increased gastric secretion, pituitary and adrenal gland stimulation, suppression of the immune response to infection, as well as diminished female reproduction and fertility levels (Xie et al
27). To date, Wilson and other researchers have consistently found a strong correlation between sleep deprivation and an impaired stress response to ICU environments (Zalumas, 1995)
(October 23, 2007). All mammalian species have a need for regular sleep and while it is clear that sleep provides a restorative function, scientists do not yet understand its precise biological function (Siegel, 2005)
All mammalian species have a need for regular sleep and while it is clear that sleep provides a restorative function, scientists do not yet understand its precise biological function (Siegel, 2005). Numerous prior research studies have established the link between sleep deprivation and impaired attention and daytime mental acuity, but more recent evidence has suggested that chronic sleep deprivation is directly related to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity, in addition to playing a role in depression and behavioral difficulties (Brody, 2007)
Of course, some might postulate that demographic factors are at the heart of this trend: adolescents who get less sleep may be less apt to eat properly and exercise. However, Cauter & Knuston (2002) found "sleep curtailment in young adults results in a constellation of metabolic and endocrine alterations, including decreased glucose tolerance, decreased insulin sensitivity, elevated sympathovagal balance, increased evening concentrations of cortisol, increased levels of ghrelin, decreased levels of leptin, and increased hunger and appetite" (Cauter & Knuston 2002)
"Contemporary research has shown that a high number of alcohol-dependent and other drug-dependent individuals have a sweet preference, specifically for foods with a high sucrose concentration. Moreover, both human and animal studies have demonstrated that in some brains the consumption of sugar-rich foods or drinks primes the release of euphoric endorphins and dopamine within the nucleus accumbens, in a manner similar to some drugs of abuse" (Fortuna 2010)
Adolescents in particular are known for shortchanging themselves on sleep. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, more than 30% of adult men and women sleep less than 6 hours a night and many adolescents sleep far less than that on a regular basis (Gupta 2003)
In general, craved or highly palatable foods will activate the AMY regardless of sated state (Hinton et al. 2004)" (Liu et al
Mice who are 'bred' to be obese, for example, have "a mutant form of the obese gene that -- in normal mice -- codes for leptin, a peptide hormone secreted by fat cells" which causes them to exhibit the same signs of starvation as normal mice even when they are obese. (Trenton 2009)
The body also decreases the amount of growth hormone produced." (Ledoux, 1) The results of this, and really of all the consequences of sleep deprivation can be devastating over time
Response speeds were up to 50% slower for some tests and accuracy measures were significantly poorer than at this level of alcohol." (Williamson & Feyer, 649) The study's basic finding was that an individual who lacks proper sleep can exhibit many of the symptoms of cognitive impairment that are also likely to be evident in an individual beyond the legal driving limit in most states for blood-alcohol-content
Both working memory and attention are related to the functions of the frontal lobes. Since the frontal lobe is susceptible to SD, it is possible to come up with a hypothesis that both working memory and attention are hindered in times of prolonged wakefulness (Alhola & Polo-Kantola, 2007)