Scientific Investigations
Sleep-Related Arousal Versus General Cognitive Arousal in Primary Insomnia
http://dx.doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.2040
Kai Spiegelhalder, M.D., Ph.D.; Wolfram Regen; Bernd Feige, Ph.D.; Verena Hirscher, Dipl.-Psych.; Thomas Unbehaun, Dipl.-Psych.; Christoph Nissen, M.D.; Dieter Riemann, Ph.D.; Chiara Baglioni, Ph.D.
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Freiburg Medical Center, Germany
Study Objectives:
The present study aimed at further investigating trait aspects of sleep-related cognitive arousal and general cognitive arousal and their association with both objective and subjective sleep parameters in primary insomnia patients.
Methods:
A clinical sample of 182 primary insomnia patients and 54 healthy controls was investigated using 2 nights of polysomnography, subjective sleep variables, and a questionnaire on sleep-related and general cognitive arousal.
Results:
Compared to healthy controls, primary insomnia patients showed both more sleep-related and general cognitive arousal. Furthermore, sleep-related cognitive arousal was closely associated with measures of sleep-onset and sleep-maintenance problems, while general cognitive arousal was not.
Conclusions:
Cognitive-behavioral treatment for insomnia might benefit from dedicating more effort to psychological interventions that are able to reduce sleep-related cognitive arousal.
Citation:
Spiegelhalder K; Regen W; Feige B; Hirscher V; Unbehaun T; Nissen C; Riemann D; Baglioni C. Sleep-related arousal versus general cognitive arousal in primary insomnia. J Clin Sleep Med 2012;8(4):431-437.
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