Lifespan changes in sleep.

Lifespan changes in sleep.

I can • Outline changes in sleep patterns over the

lifespan (A01)• Consider implications of changes in sleep

patterns over the lifespan (A02)Synoptic Points• DEVELOPMENTAL APPROACH• Cultural Differences

http://www.classtools.net/mob/quiz_0/ZyaBV.htm

Lifespan changes

Do you ever find yourself sleeping through the day?

How many hours sleep do you get per night? Do you sleep more or less than you used to? Over the next week fill in a sleep log. What ethical issues are related to this?

Prenatal & Infant sleep.When do sleep patterns emerge in developing foetus?•Okai et al (1992):•Used ultrasound scanning to investigate possible sleep patterns in unborn children of the 30 ‘normal’ pregnant women between 20 and 40 weeks (beginning of 5mths-full term).

Limitations of the Research?

Sample size?Methodology?Application?

AO2/3

Prenatal & Infant sleep.

• This study was completed by:• Measuring eye movement and baby movement.• What instrument would they need to use?

• Findings:• Prior to 28 weeks (7 mths) REM was hard to identify.• At 32 weeks REM/NREM cycles could be distinguished.

What do these findings suggest?

• The critical point in gestation is measured at 32 weeks.

• This is further supported by a correlation found between sleep changes and the development of the brain.

• E.g. Brain stem reaches a developmental high between 28 and 31 weeks, there is a known link between these neural systems & control of the REM/NREM ultradian cycles.

Lifespan changes in sleep

• Who do you think would sleep more?

• A baby or an elderly person?

• Who would have more REM sleep?

• Why do you think this?• Justify you reasoning

Lifespan changes

EEGs of Sleep at Different Stages of Lifespan

What do these EEG’s tell us about how

sleep changes as we get

older?

Sleep Timeline (AO1)

• Read p 10• Create a timeline to show how sleep changes

as humans develop

Outline changes in sleep patterns over the lifespan (A01)

Sleep Timeline (AO1)

BABIESNewborn Babies6 months old1 year oldCHILDHOOD5 years oldADOLESCENCEADULTHOODOLD AGE

AO2 & AO3: Application and Implications

1. What do we know about newborns?

2. Why might babies sleep patterns be so different to that of an adult?

New born babies AO2….• It has been suggested that babies sleep is an

adaptive mechanism to make the parents lives easier.

• Babies have small stomachs so need to wake to be fed

• The greater amount of Active/REM sleep may be explained in terms of the considerable learning and brain development that takes place

• It is further supported by the fact that premature babies (whose brains are very immature) spend 90% of their sleep time in active sleep (REM).

Pre Teens

Pre-teens seem to experience sleep-wake utopia. During the day they are bursting with energy, at night they sleep soundly and they are wide awake and fully rested from the moment they open their eyes in the morning (Dement, 1999).

Adolescence

What happens to sleep patterns in adolescence?

What might cause the changes?

Adolescence-AO2• The change in sleep patterns may be linked to hormonal

changes.• Hormones are generally released at night and so sleep

patterns are disturbed leading to sleep deprivation.• Hormonal changes can also explain the upset circadian

clock this is described as the delayed sleep phase syndrome (Crowley et al 2003)

• From this some researchers have recommended that schools start their day later to accommodate poor attention spans of adolescents in early morning (Wolfson and Carskadon 2005)

Other factors that may impact sleep patterns?

• Adolescents: The cause is usually the cause of social changes such as

• Sleeping longer at weekends.• Staying up later.• Reduced parental influence.

• Several environmental factors are also responsible for changes in sleep……..

Other factors that may impact sleep patterns?

• Increased homework• Using the computer• During adolescence the brain is going through a

critical phase of cortical development & cognitive change, & sleep is crucial in ensuring that these changes occur efficiently.

Wolfson & Carskadon (1998)Pagel (2007)

AO2 & AO3: Application and Implications

Adulthood- A good nights sleep??

Increased mortality risk associated with too much sleep.Kripke et al (2002) surveyed over one million men and women and found that people sleeping for 6 or 7 hours had reduced mortality risk than those sleeping longer.

Kripke’s study used correlational analysis, disadvantage of using this type of evidence?

AO2 & AO3: Application and Implications

Old ageWhy might old people sleep less?

What type of sleep do they have less of? Why?

Old age AO2:• Reduced sleep in old age is partly a consequence of

Physiological changes but may also be explained in terms of actual problems staying asleep, such as sleep apnoea or medical illnesses.

• SWS is reduced in old age and so the older sleep is more easily woken.

• The reduction of SWS leads to reduced production of the growth hormone which may explain some of the symptoms associated with old age- such as lack of energy and lower bone density (Van Cauter et al 2000)

AO3 – Synoptic Points

• Look at the graph on page 11• Briefly outline the research carried out by

Tynjala et al (1993) , Shin et al (2003) and• Ghanizadeh et al (2008)• What conclusion was reached in the light of

this research?

Cultural differences-AO2

Sleep patterns also vary across cultures. Tynjala et al 1993 surveyed 40,000 11-16 year olds from

11 European countries.• Israeli children = 8.5 hrs on average• Swiss children = 9.5 hrs on average. Shin et al 2003 found….• Korean children = 6.5 hrs on average• Iranian children = 7.7 hrs on averageSuggests sleep duration is shorter in Asia than Europe

Plenary

Guess Who?

Over to you ..

• Homework-• Discuss research into lifespan changes in sleep

(9+16) • Plan in lesson – share plans• Fill in sleep log?

Lifespan changes in sleep.

Objectives• Outline changes in sleep patterns over the

lifespan (A01)• Consider implications of changes in sleep

patterns over the lifespan (A02)Synoptic Points- AO3• DEVELOPMENTAL APPROACH• Cultural Differences