Non-Pharmacological Self-Management of Sleep Among the Japanese General Population

Abstract

S leep disturbance is known to be associated with the onset of mental disorders such as depression. It is also well known that sleep disturbance is an eventual risk factor for various somatic disorders such as diabetes mellitus, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. [1][2][3][4][5] In addition, excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) resulting from sleep disturbance may lead to industrial and traffic accidents. [6][7][8] Thus, in developed countries, employing pertinent measures to prevent sleep disturbance is widely recognized as an important issue in promoting industrial hygiene and public health.People in general use various non-pharmacological selfmanagement (nPSM) strategies to obtain good sleep. However, most previous studies have focused on so-called pharmacological management practices such as the use of alcohol or hypnot-ic medications, and many epidemiological findings regarding such practices have been reported. For example, a study in the US reported that the prevalence of using hypnotic medications to improve the quality and quantity of sleep ranged from 10% to 18%, while that of consuming alcohol ranged from 10% to 13%, with the use of hypnotic medications being more prevalent among women and the consumption of alcoholic beverages more prevalent among men. 9 A study in Japan obtained similar findings with respect to the use of hypnotics (women: 5.9%, men: 4.3%), 10 and to the larger proportion of men consuming alcoholic beverages to induce sleep one or more times a week compared to women (48.3% and 18.3%, respectively). 10 Although physiological data associated with nPSM practices such as exercising, having a bath, reading, or snacking on food and/or beverages have been reported, few findings of epidemiological studies are available. In a survey of self-management practices employed by Americans to obtain sleep, Ancoli-Israel et al. found that the prevalence of exercising was higher among non-insomniacs than among insomniacs. 9 Morin et al. conducted a similar study of Americans and reported that the prevalence of reading was the highest, followed by listening to music. 11 However, no epidemiological study of nPSM practices for obtaining good sleep has been conducted in any Asian

Age-related chronotype differences in Chinese, and reliability assessment of a reduced version of the Chinese Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire

“…Meal times and school/university start times can also be relatively early in China, which may contribute to relatively more morning-preference in Chinese. Research has also shown that, for example, social activity, 27 attachment style 28 and possibly unique cultural influences 29 are related to sleep patterns and sleep regulation.…”

“…Two sets of chronotype classification criteria were used. Horne and Östberg's 6 cut-off points for chronotype classification are: [16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30] The rMEQ 19 consists of five questions, corresponding to MEQ question numbers 1, 7, 10, 18, and 19. Scores range from 4 to 25, with the following cut-offs: 4-7 (DE); 8-11 (ME); 12-17 (N); 18-21 (MM); 22-25 (DM).…”

A randomized controlled trial of bedtime music for insomnia disorder

“…Instead, many use complementary health approaches such as herbal or dietary products to promote sleep or initiate self‐help strategies such as reading or listening to music, even though the effects are not well documented. Music is a commonly used tool for sleep improvement (Aritake‐Okada, Kaneita, Uchiyama, Mishima, & Ohida, ; Urponen, Vuori, Hasan, & Partinen, ), and a Canadian study found that among individuals with insomnia disorder, 43.6% had used music to promote sleep (Morin et al., ). Therefore, it is highly relevant to clarify whether music listening can actually improve sleep or not; research indicates that there is a scientific rationale for impact of music on insomnia.…”

Perceived Effectiveness of Diverse Sleep Treatments in Older Adults

“…12 Potential self-treatments include conventional pharmacological aids (e.g., sedative-hypnotics), alternative therapeutics (e.g., melatonin, herbal therapies), and nonpharmacological activities (e.g., exercise, reading). [13][14][15] Although some treatments are advantageous, other choices may be particularly detrimental, such as alcohol use. Furthermore, in geriatric care, it is critical to understand patients' treatment choices because of the potentially serious consequences of polypharmacy.…”

“…Potential self‐treatments include conventional pharmacological aids (e.g., sedative‐hypnotics), alternative therapeutics (e.g., melatonin, herbal therapies), and nonpharmacological activities (e.g., exercise, reading) 13–15 . Although some treatments are advantageous, other choices may be particularly detrimental, such as alcohol use.…”