Epidemiological studies on dreams, sleep habits and mental symptoms in Japanese junior high students aged 12?15 years (2)

Abstract

Questionnaires on morningness-eveningness by Torsvall and Åkerstedt, sleep habits, psychiatric aspects and dreaming were administered to 870 students aged 12-15 years attending one of two junior high schools located in urban area in Kochi city (33°N) and suburban and neighboring area. Students who had negative dreams that were frightening, sad and so on tended to have later bedtimes and a shorter sleep duration and more frequently felt depressed or were unreasonably easily angered than those who had happy dreaming. A later bedtime may be related to a higher frequency of negative dreaming, which seems to trigger mental symptoms such as a depressed mood and irritation in Japanese adolescents.

Can an integrated intervention on breakfast and following sunlight exposure promote morning-type diurnal rhythms of Japanese University sports club students?

“…With regards to quality of sleep, several questions were asked, that is, subjective sleep onset times, waking up in the middle of the night, difficulty falling asleep, depth of sleep and feeling upon awakening 15 . Regarding mental health, frequency to feel the following was asked: (i) irritation to other people or objects; (ii) easily angered by a small trigger; (iii) become suddenly angry and irrational and unable to control these emotions by themselves; and (iv) feeling depressed 18–21 . Possible answers were never, 1–2 times a week, 3–4 times a week, 5–6 times a week and every day.…”

“…15 Regarding mental health, frequency to feel the following was asked: (i) irritation to other people or objects; (ii) easily angered by a small trigger; (iii) become suddenly angry and irrational and unable to control these emotions by themselves; and (iv) feeling depressed. [18][19][20][21] Possible answers were never, 1-2 times a week, 3-4 times a week, 5-6 times a week and every day.…”