Insomnia is a common sleep disorder, especially for seniors. WASO (time awake after sleep onset), a component of insomnia, tends to increase with age. There are also many variations in WASO for seniors. To better understand the nature of insomnia, an equation was developed to predict WASO using maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) as a measure of fitness associated with aerobic exercise. Predictions from the equation matched measured values with an R2 = 0.98. The results were highly significant (p < 0.001). A second equation was used to predict VO2max as a function of age and relative fitness (a measure of aerobic fitness independent of age). The two equations were combined to predict WASO as a function of age, gender, and relative fitness. Based on these results, it appears that aerobic exercise to improve relative fitness can be used to reduce WASO. The WASO model explains the numerous reports of reduced WASO associated with long-term exercise programs. The model also explains why WASO increases with age and why high WASO values associate with early death.
References
[1]
Walker, M. (2017) Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams. Scribner, New York.
[2]
Drake, C., Richardson, G., Roehrs, T., Scofield, H. and Roth, T. (2014) Vulnerability to Stress-Related Sleep Disturbance and Hyperarousal. Sleep, 27, 285-291. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/27.2.285
[3]
Passos, G.S., Poyares, D., Santana, M.G., D’Aurea, C.V.R., Youngstedt, S.D., Tufik, S. and de Mello, M.T. (2011) Effects of Moderate Aerobic Exercise Training on Chronic Primary Insomnia. Sleep Medicine, 12, 1018-1027. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2011.02.007
[4]
Ju, Y., Ooms, S., Sutphen, D., Macauley, S., Zangrilli, M., Jerome, G., Fagan, A., Mignot, E., Zempel, J., Claassen, J. and Holtzman, D. (2017) Slow Wave Sleep Disruption Increases Cerebrospinal Fluid Amyloid-β. Brain, 140, 2104-2111. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awx148
[5]
Wallace, M.L., Stone, K., Smagula, S.F, Hall, M.H., Simsek, B., Kado, D.M., Redline, S. and Vo, T.N. (2018) Which Sleep Health Characteristics Predict All-Cause Mortality in Older Men? An Application of Flexible Multivariable Approaches. Sleep, 41, zsx189. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsx189
[6]
Dolezal, B.A., Neufeld, E.V., Boland, D.M., Martin, J.L. and Cooper, C.B. (2017) Interrelationship between Sleep and Exercise: A Systematic Review. Advances in Preventive Medicine, 2017, Article ID: 1364387. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/1364387
[7]
Ohayon, M.M., Carskadon, M.A., Guilleminault, C. and Vitiello, M.V. (2004) Meta-Analysis of Quantitative Sleep Parameters from Childhood to Old Age in Healthy Individuals: Developing Normative Sleep Values across the Human Lifespan. Sleep, 27, 1255-1273. https://goo.gl/dKRy3c https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/27.7.1255
[8]
Astrand, P., Rodahl, K., Dahl, H.A. and Stromme, S.B. (2003) Textbook of Work Physiology: Physiological Bases of Exercise. 4th Edition, Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL.
[9]
Saltin, B., Blomqvist, G., Mitchell, J.H., Johnson, R.L., Wildenthal, K. and Chapmab, C.B. (1968) Response to Submaximal and Maximal Exercise after Bed Rest and Training. Circulation, 38, 1-78.
[10]
Tanaka, H., DeSouza, D., Jones, P., Stevenson, E., Davy, K. and Seals, D. (1997) Greater Rate of Decline in Maximal Aerobic Capacity with Age in Physically Active vs. Sedentary Healthy Women. Journal of Applied Physiology, 83, 1947-1953. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.1997.83.6.1947
[11]
Pimentel, A., Gentile, C., Tanaka, H., Seals, D. and Gates, P. (2003) Greater Rate of Decline in Maximal Aerobic Capacity with Age in Endurance-Trained than in Sedentary Men. Journal of Applied Physiology, 94, 2406-2413. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00774.2002
[12]
Sandvik, L., Erikssen, J., Thaulow, E., Erikssen, G., Mundal, R. and Rodahl, K. (1993) Physical Fitness as a Predictor of Mortality among Healthy, Middle-Aged Norwegian Men. The New England Journal of Medicine, 328, 533-537. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM199302253280803
[13]
Chakravarty, E.F., Hubert, H.B., Lingala, V.B. and Fries, J.F. (2008) Reduced Disability and Mortality among Aging Runners: A 21-Year Longitudinal Study. Archives of Internal Medicine, 168, 1638-1646. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinte.168.15.1638
[14]
Hayashi, Y. and Endo, S. (1982) All-night Sleep Polygraphic Recordings of Healthy Aged Persons: REM and Slow-Wave Sleep. Sleep, 5, 277-283. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/5.3.277
[15]
Shapiro, R., Bortz, M. and Mitchell, D. (1981) Slow-Wave Sleep: A Recovery Period after Exercise. Science, 214, 1253-1254. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.7302594
[16]
Kripke, D.D., Garfinkel, L., Wingard, D.L., Klauber, M.R. and Marler, M.R. (2002) Mortality Associated with Sleep Duration and Insomnia. Archives of General Psychiatry, 59, 131-136. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.59.2.131
[17]
Singh, M., Rake, C.L., Roehrs, T., Hudgel, D.W. and Roth, T. (2005) The Association between Obesity and Short Sleep Duration: A Population-Based Study. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 1, 357-363. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.26361
[18]
Kobayashi, I. and Mellman, T.A. (2012) Gender Differences I Sleep During the Aftermath of Trauma and the Development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Behavioral Sleep Medicine, 10, 180-190. https://doi.org/10.1080/15402002.2011.654296
[19]
Carskadon, M.A. and Dement WC. (1987) Daytime Sleepiness: Quantification of a Behavioral State. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 111, 307-317. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0149-7634(87)80016-7
[20]
Richardson, G.S., Carskadon, M.A., Orav, E.J. and Dement, W.C. (1982) Circadian Variationof Sleep Tendency in Elderly and Young Adult Subjects. Sleep, 5, S82-S94. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/5.S2.S82
[21]
Hoch, C.C., Dew, M.A., Reynolds, C.F., Monk, T.H., Buysse, D.J., Houck, P.R., Machen, M.A., Kupfer, D.J. (1994) A Longitudinal Study of Laboratory- and Diary-Based Sleep Measures in Healthy “Old Old” and “Young Old” Volunteers. Sleep, 17, 489-496. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/17.6.489
[22]
Haimov, I. and Lavie, P. (1997) Circadian Characteristics of Sleep Propensity Function in Healthy Elderly: A Comparison with Young Adults. Sleep, 20, 294-300. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/20.4.294
