A single subjective question can be an effective sleepiness screening tool

Sarah Nath Zallek, MD, of the Illinois Neurological Institute Sleep Center in Peoria, Ill., sought to determine whether the following single question about sleepiness can measure subjective sleepiness comparably to the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS):

“Please measure your sleepiness on a typical day: (0 = none, 10 is highest).”

The study focused on 303 subjects between 18-78 years of age, who had been diagnosed with a variety of sleep disorders, including obstructive or central sleep apnea, narcolepsy, periodic limb movement disorder, restless legs syndrome, psychophysiological insomnia, inadequate sleep hygiene, and idiopathic hypersomnia. ESS scores ranged from 0-24, while SS scores ranged from 0-10.

According to Dr. Zallek, the finding that the single question used in this study had significant associations with the ESS in all subject groups and was able to distinguish between “subjectively sleepy” and “subjectively not sleepy” groups suggests the SS is a good measure of subjective sleepiness.

“Excessive sleepiness is an important and widespread symptom of insufficient sleep and a variety of sleep disorders,” said Dr. Zallek. “It increases the risk of accidents and injuries, and leads to lost work productivity. Recognition of sleepiness is the first step to finding a cause and treating it. Most physicians don't use the existing questionnaires to determine if someone is excessively sleepy. Sleepiness often goes unrecognized.”

By using a single question to detect excessive sleepiness, one can quickly determine who might need further evaluation, noted Dr. Zallek.

“This scale can also assess change in an individual's sleepiness over time. This study provides individuals, physicians, and employers a simple, single question to initiate an evaluation of this important symptom,” added Dr. Zallek.

Source: American Academy of Sleep Medicine

Bright light therapy may improve nocturnal sleep in mothers
Bright light therapy may improve a mother’s nocturnal sleep, decrease daytime sleepiness and be beneficial to her well-being, according to a research abstract that will be presented on Monday at SLEEP 2008, the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS).
Sleep variables affecting school performance are different with each educational level
While disordered sleep has a negative effect on a student academically, the sleep variables affecting school performance are different by educational level, according to a research abstract that will be presented on Monday at SLEEP 2008, the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS).
Ongoing study continues to show that extra sleep improves athletic performance
Getting extra sleep over an extended period of time improves athletic performance, mood and alertness, according to a research abstract that will be presented on Monday at the SLEEP 2008 22nd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) in Baltimore, Md.
Mathematics simplifies sleep monitoring
A UQ researcher has created a new way to measure breathing patterns in sleeping infants which may also work for adults.
A consistent, worldwide association between short sleep duration and obesity
A study published in the May 1 issue of the journal SLEEP is the first attempt to quantify the strength of the cross-sectional relationships between duration of sleep and obesity in both children and adults. Cross-sectional studies from around the world show a consistent increased risk of obesity among short sleepers in children and adults, the study found.
Insomnia may perpetuate depression in some elderly patients
In addition to being a risk factor for a depressive episode, persistent insomnia may perpetuate the illness in some elderly patients, and especially in those receiving standard care for depression in primary care settings, according to a study published in the April 1 issue of the journal SLEEP.
Adolescents with chronic insomnia report 'twofold to fivefold' increase in personal problems
Documenting a “twofold to fivefold” increase in personal problems among adolescents with persistent sleeplessness, public health researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston say they have completed the first prospective study demonstrating the negative impact of chronic insomnia on 11 to 17 year olds. More than one fourth of the youths surveyed had one or more symptoms of insomnia and almost half of these youngsters had chronic conditions. Findings appear in the March issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health and are based on interviews with 3,134 adolescents in metropolitan Houston.
Impaired sense of smell may be early indicator of Parkinson's disease
Impaired sense of smell occurs in the earliest stages of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and there is mounting evidence that it may precede motor symptoms by several years, although no large-scale studies had confirmed this. In the first study involving the general population, researchers found that smell impairment can precede the development of PD in men by at least four years. The study is published in the Annals of Neurology.

A single subjective question can be an effective sleepiness screening tool

Related stories:

News discussion: