The relationship between sleep and autonomic health.
- Resource Type
- Article
- Authors
- Oliver, Michael D., ; Baldwin, Debora R.; Datta, Subimal
- Source
- Journal of American College Health; Jul2020, Vol. 68 Issue 5, p550-556, 7p, 4 Charts, 2 Graphs, 1 Map
- Subject
- College students
Undergraduates
Autonomic nervous system physiology
Heart beat
Skin physiology
Sleep
- Language
- ISSN
- 07448481
Objective: To examine the relationship between sleep and resting autonomic nervous system (ANS) functioning in college students. Participants: Participants were 141 undergraduate students (52 males) recruited from a large southeastern university during September–October 2017. Methods: Participants completed self-report inventories (demographic and sleep characteristics). Resting state skin conductance (SC) and heart rate variability (HRV) were measured in a laboratory setting for ANS functioning. Results: SC was positively associated with sleep quality (p = 0.027), sleep latency (p = 0.040), and use of sleep medication (p < 0.001). Analyses yielded a negative association between the standard deviation of the normal-normal interval of heart beats (SDNN) and the self-reported amount of time to fall asleep each night (p = 0.041). Sleep efficiency was negatively correlated with low frequency HRV (p = 0.002). Conclusions: Sleep components are associated with resting ANS activity, and targeted interventions focused on improved ANS functioning may benefit sleep quality in college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]