Sleep Medicine Reviews RSS feed: Current Issue. Sleep Medicine Reviews provides International coverage of sleep disorders, their aetiology, diagnosis, treatment and implications for related conditions at an individual and public health level. Articles review the clinical information published in peer-reviewed journals devoted to the many disciplines involved in sleep medicine, including: pulmonology, psychiatry, psychology, physiology, otolaryngology, paediatrics, geriatrics, cardiology, dentistry, nursing, neurology and general medicine. The journal publishes narrative reviews, systematic reviews and editorials covering area of controversy and debate, as well as areas of future research. http://www.smrv-journal.com/?rss=yesElsevier Inc.en © 2010 Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Sleep Medicine Reviews1087-0792144August 2010 © 2010 Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. healthpermissions@elsevier.comhttp://www.smrv-journal.com/article/PIIS1087079210000493/abstract?rss=yesAims & Scope/ Editorial Board10.1016/S1087-0792(10)00049-3Sleep Medicine Reviews 14, 4 (2010)2010-08-01Sleep Medicine Reviews2010-08-01144S1087-0792(10)X0004-1iihttp://www.smrv-journal.com/article/PIIS1087079210000249/abstract?rss=yes“The best bridge between despair and hope is a good night's sleep” E. Joseph CossmanObligate symbiosis: Sleep and affectMatthew P. Walker, Allison G. Harvey10.1016/j.smrv.2010.02.003Sleep Medicine Reviews 14, 4 (2010)2010-08-01Sleep Medicine Reviews2010-08-01144S1087-0792(10)X0004-1Guest editorial215217http://www.smrv-journal.com/article/PIIS1087079210000031/abstract?rss=yesSummary: Research findings confirm our own experiences in life where daytime events and especially emotionally stressful events have an impact on sleep quality and well-being. Obviously, daytime emotional stress may have a differentiated effect on sleep by influencing sleep physiology and dream patterns, dream content and the emotion within a dream, although its exact role is still unclear. Other effects that have been found are the exaggerated startle response, decreased dream recall and elevated awakening thresholds from rapid eye movement (REM)-sleep, increased or decreased latency to REM-sleep, increased REM-density, REM-sleep duration and the occurrence of arousals in sleep as a marker of sleep disruption. However, not only do daytime events affect sleep, also the quality and amount of sleep influences the way we react to these events and may be an important determinant in general well-being. Sleep seems restorative in daily functioning, whereas deprivation of sleep makes us more sensitive to emotional and stressful stimuli and events in particular. The way sleep impacts next day mood/emotion is thought to be affected particularly via REM-sleep, where we observe a hyperlimbic and hypoactive dorsolateral prefrontal functioning in combination with a normal functioning of the medial prefrontal cortex, probably adaptive in coping with the continuous stream of emotional events we experience.The emotional brain and sleep: An intimate relationshipMarie Vandekerckhove, Raymond Cluydts10.1016/j.smrv.2010.01.002Sleep Medicine Reviews 14, 4 (2010)2010-08-01Sleep Medicine Reviews2010-08-01144S1087-0792(10)X0004-1Physiological review219226http://www.smrv-journal.com/article/PIIS1087079209001178/abstract?rss=yesSUMMARY: Insomnia disorder is defined as difficulties in initiating/maintaining sleep and/or non-restorative sleep accompanied by decreased daytime functioning, persisting for at least four weeks. For many patients suffering from depression and anxiety, insomnia is a pervasive problem. Many of the aetiological theories of insomnia postulate that heightened emotional reactivity contributes to the maintenance of symptoms. This review focuses on the role of emotional reactivity in insomnia, and how the relationship between insomnia and depression and anxiety may be mediated by emotional reactivity. Furthermore, studies investigating the valence of emotions in insomnia are reviewed. Overall, there is empirical evidence that dysfunctional emotional reactivity might mediate the interaction between cognitive and autonomic hyperarousal, thus contributing to the maintenance of insomnia. Moreover, dysfunctions in sleep–wake regulating neural circuitries seem to be able to reinforce emotional disturbances. It seems plausible that dysfunctional emotional reactivity modulates the relationship between insomnia and depression and anxiety. Considering the interaction between sleep and emotional valence, poor sleep quality seems to correlate with high negative and low positive emotions, both in clinical and subclinical samples. Good sleep seems to be associated with high positive emotions, but not necessarily with low negative emotions. This review underlines the need for future research on emotions in insomnia.Sleep and emotions: A focus on insomniaChiara Baglioni, Kai Spiegelhalder, Caterina Lombardo, Dieter Riemann10.1016/j.smrv.2009.10.007Sleep Medicine Reviews 14, 4 (2010)2010-08-01Sleep Medicine Reviews2010-08-01144S1087-0792(10)X0004-1Clinical reviews227238http://www.smrv-journal.com/article/PIIS1087079209000914/abstract?rss=yesSummary: Existing data from laboratory studies suggest a number of negative consequences of acute reductions in sleep time. Also, epidemiological data suggest links between shorter self-reported sleep duration and negative health outcomes. These bodies of work are growing, revealing several key points of convergence and opportunities for future exploration. In addition, they begin to highlight possible problems experienced by “short sleepers,” who sleep approximately 6h or less per night. While it is likely that this group is heterogeneous, comprised both of individuals with less need for sleep and those not sleeping enough, the laboratory and epidemiological findings point towards directions that can be more fully explored in verified short sleepers. This paper discusses problems associated with the terminology used to describe “short sleep,” summarizes laboratory studies exploring neurobehavioral performance, metabolism and obesity, and psychological health and epidemiological studies exploring mortality risk, obesity and metabolism, cardiovascular disease, and general health/psychosocial stress, describes studies of verified short sleepers and explores areas of convergence, laying out possible future directions.Problems associated with short sleep: Bridging the gap between laboratory and epidemiological studiesMichael A. Grandner, Nirav P. Patel, Philip R. Gehrman, Michael L. Perlis, Allan I. Pack10.1016/j.smrv.2009.08.001Sleep Medicine Reviews 14, 4 (2010)2010-08-01Sleep Medicine Reviews2010-08-01144S1087-0792(10)X0004-1Clinical reviews239247http://www.smrv-journal.com/article/PIIS1087079209000963/abstract?rss=yesSummary: Daytime napping is a frequent habit of many individuals, whether healthy or not, and may occur in a wide variety of contexts. There are several reasons for napping in the human adult, including prophylactic strategies or recuperative need, respectively before or after sleep loss, or even pure appetitive drive. Thus, it is of great theoretical and clinical interest to assess the impact of naps on individuals' performance, especially on cognitive functioning. As the outgrowth of a symposium held by the authors at the 5th Congress of the World Federation of Sleep Research and Sleep Medicine Societies in Cairns, Australia, September 2007, this review will specifically explore: a) the newly developed experimental daytime split-sleep schedules and their effects on recovery, compared with those deriving from a single consolidated sleep episode of equal duration; b) whether naps may be beneficial to wakefulness performance in the working context, through accurate review of “on field” studies; c) the impact of naps on cognition, in light of the very recent advances in the study of naps and memory processes; d) the main features of napping behavior in older individuals and its impact on their health and general functioning, since it is widely recognized that napping may change as a result of the aging process.Naps, cognition and performanceGianluca Ficca, John Axelsson, Daniel J. Mollicone, Vincenzo Muto, Michael V. Vitiello10.1016/j.smrv.2009.09.005Sleep Medicine Reviews 14, 4 (2010)2010-08-01Sleep Medicine Reviews2010-08-01144S1087-0792(10)X0004-1Clinical reviews249258http://www.smrv-journal.com/article/PIIS108707920900118X/abstract?rss=yesSummary: Background: Disturbed body balance and standing steadiness are problematic for those who wake up at night or in the morning after using hypnotic drugs. As a result, falls and hip fractures are frequently reported in patients using sleep medication.Methods: A literature search was performed to identify double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials that examined body balance and standing steadiness. Drugs that were searched were nitrazepam, triazolam, lorazepam, temazepam, loprazolam, flunitrazepam, flurazepam, and the Z-drugs zopiclone, zolpidem and zaleplon.Results: A total of 57 studies were eligible for inclusion. Results showed that both benzodiazepine hypnotics and the Z-drugs significantly impair body balance and standing steadiness after single dose administration. Impairments correlate significantly with blood plasma levels and are greatest at peak plasma concentrations, but are sometimes still present upon awakening. Balance problems were dose-related and most pronounced in elderly. Co-administration of alcohol aggravated the impairment. After repeated daily use of hypnotic drugs partial tolerance develops to the impairing effects on standing steadiness.Conclusion: Single dose administration of benzodiazepine hypnotics and Z-drugs significantly impair body balance in a dose-dependent manner. Zolpidem and zopiclone produced similar significant impairment as benzodiazepine hypnotics. Zaleplon significantly impaired balance up to 2 h after intake. Partial tolerance develops after repeated daily use. In conclusion, patients should be warned about the possible risk of imbalance and falls due to the use of sleep medication.Effect of hypnotic drugs on body balance and standing steadinessMonique A.J. Mets, Edmund R. Volkerts, Berend Olivier, Joris C. Verster10.1016/j.smrv.2009.10.008Sleep Medicine Reviews 14, 4 (2010)2010-08-01Sleep Medicine Reviews2010-08-01144S1087-0792(10)X0004-1Clinical reviews259267http://www.smrv-journal.com/article/PIIS1087079209001233/abstract?rss=yesSummary: Environmental illumination profoundly influences human health and well-being. Recently discovered photoreceptive retinal ganglion cells (pRGCs) are primary mediators of numerous circadian, neuroendocrine and neurobehavioral responses. pRGCs provide lighting information to diverse nonvisual (non-image-forming) brain centers including the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) which serve as the body's master biological clock. The SCN exert functional control over circadian aspects of physiology. The timing and strength (amplitude) of SCN rhythmic signals are affected by light exposure. Light deficiency may attenuate SCN function and its control of physiological and hormonal rhythms which in turn can result in a cascade of adverse events. Inadequate pRGC photoreception cannot be perceived consciously, but may aggravate many common age-associated problems including insomnia, depression and impaired cognition. In this review we (1) summarize circadian physiology, emphasizing light's critical role as the most important geophysical timing cue in humans; (2) analyze evidence that typical residential lighting is insufficient for optimal pRGC requirements in youth and even more so with advancing age; (3) show how ocular aging and cataract surgery impact circadian photoreception; and (4) review some of the diverse morbidities associated with chronodisruption in general and those which may be caused by light deficiency in particular.The role of environmental light in sleep and health: Effects of ocular aging and cataract surgeryPatricia L. Turner, Eus J.W. Van Someren, Martin A. Mainster10.1016/j.smrv.2009.11.002Sleep Medicine Reviews 14, 4 (2010)2010-08-01Sleep Medicine Reviews2010-08-01144S1087-0792(10)X0004-1Clinical reviews269280http://www.smrv-journal.com/article/PIIS1087079210000559/abstract?rss=yesJudging Sleep Apnea Surgery Edward M. WeaverArticles to appear in forthcoming issues of Sleep Medicine Reviews10.1016/S1087-0792(10)00055-9Sleep Medicine Reviews 14, 4 (2010)2010-08-01Sleep Medicine Reviews2010-08-01144S1087-0792(10)X0004-1281281