This paper is only available as a PDF. To read, Please Download here.
Abstract
Sleep is an essential part of life. It is not a passive state of unconsciousness,
but rather a dynamic brain processthat is the result of the interaction between two
largely independent basic mechanisms: the circadian rhythm and the homeostatic drive
to sleep. Its exact role has yet to be elucidated but it is known that sleep plays
an important role in the restoration of physical and mental functioning.
Sleep can be described both quantitatively and qualitatively, subjectively and objectively.
Recent research hasled to a substantially improved understanding of both normal and
altered sleep patterns, and their impact on health. A large diversity of factors has
been described that can either favourably or adversely influence sleep, including
sleep deprivation, sleep fragmentation, medical conditions and external stimuli. Normal
sleep patterns vary significantly across the life-course, with more disrupted and
less efficient sleep seeming to occur in the elderly. Sleep disorders are frequent
and diverse in their origin, and commonly result in excessive daytime somnolence,
which can have a major impact on daytime performance and safety in the individual.
Also, chronic sleep disturbance is associated with increased morbidity and mortality.
It is thus important that the quality of sleep is maintained, and situations and conditions
known to have a negative impact on sleep initiation and maintenance should be prevented
or treated.
Keywords
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to European Urology Open ScienceAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
- Sleep and Wakefulness.2nd edition. University of Chicago, Chicago1972
- Chase M.H. The Sleeping Brain. Brain Information Service/Brain Research Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles1972
- Awakening from sleep.Sleep Med Rev. 2002; 6: 267-286
- Insomnia in the geriatric patient.Clin Cornerstone. 2003; 5: 51-60
- Insomnia: epidemiology, characteristics, and consequences.Clin Cornerstone. 2003; 5: 5-15
- Clinical and socioeconomic correlates of insomnia.J Clin Psychiatry. 2004; 65: 13-19
- Assessment and management of insomnia.J Am Med Assoc. 2003; 289: 2475-2479
- Healthy older adults' sleep predicts all-cause mortality at 4 to 19 years of follow-up.Psychosom Med. 2003; 65: 63-73
- A manual of standardized terminology, techniques and scoring system for the sleep stages of human subjects. Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles1968
- Normal human sleep: an overview.Med Clin North Am. 2004; 88: 51-65
- Normal human sleep.Respir Care Clin N Am. 1999; 5: 319-331
- Sleep physiology and pathophysiology.Clin Cornerstone. 2000; 2: 1-15
- Sleep in the elderly. What is normal?.Clin Geriatr Med. 2003; 19: 177-188
- Sleep, learning, and dreams: off-line memory reprocessing.Science. 2001; 294: 1052-1057
- Does sleep fragmentation impact recuperation? A review and reanalysis.J Sleep Res. 1999; 8: 237-245
- Clinical effects of sleep fragmentation versus sleep deprivation.Sleep Med Rev. 2003; 7: 297-310
- Effects of drugs on sleep.Neurol Clin. 1996; 14: 827-840
- Sleep and medical disorders.Med Clin N Am. 2004; 88: 679-703
- The human circadian clack and aging.Chronobiol Int. 2000; 17: 245-259
- Differentiating sleep continuity effects from sleep stage effects.J Sleep Res. 2000; 9: 403-406
- Nocturia: the major problem in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic obstruction (LUTSIBPO).Eur Urol Suppl. 2005; 3: 8-16
- Nocturia: consequences far sleep and daytime activities and associated risks.Eur Urol Suppl. 2005; 3: 24-32
- Sleep deprivation: health consequences and societal impact.Med Clin North Am. 2004; 88: 767-776
- Chronic insomnia and immune functioning.Psychosom Med. 2003; 65: 211-221
Article info
Identification
Copyright
© 2005 Elsevier B.V. Published by Elsevier Inc.
