Discrepancies in sleep diary and actigraphy assessments in adults with fibromyalgia: Associations with opioid dose and age

Symptom tracking in endometriosis using digital technologies: Knowns, unknowns, and future prospects

Endometriosis is a common chronic pain condition with no known cure and limited treatment options. Digital technologies, ranging from smartphone apps to wearable sensors, have shown potential toward facilitating chronic pain assessment and management; however, to date, many of these tools have not been specifically deployed or evaluated in patients with endometriosis-associated pain. Informed by previous studies in related chronic pain conditions, we discuss how digital technologies may be used in endometriosis to facilitate objective, continuous, and holistic symptom tracking. We postulate that these pervasive and increasingly affordable technologies present promising opportunities toward developing decision-support tools assisting healthcare professionals and empowering patients with endometriosis to make better-informed choices about symptom management.

Sleep and Sleepiness Measured by Diaries and Actigraphy among Norwegian and Austrian Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) Pilots

The study examined sleep and sleepiness among shift working Helicopter Emergency Medical Service pilots from Norway (Norwegian Air Ambulance; NAA) and Austria (Christophorus Flugrettungverein; CFV). Both pilot groups (N = 47) worked seven consecutive 24 h shifts. Sleep was assessed by diaries and actigraphy while sleepiness was assessed by the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale, all administered throughout the workweek. The results indicated that all pilots had later bedtime (p < 0.05) and wake-up time (p < 0.01) as they approached the workweek end, but no change during the workweek was evident regarding wake after sleep onset, time in bed, total sleep time, or sleep efficiency. The NAA pilots had later bedtime (p < 0.001) and wake-up time (p < 0.001), spent more time awake after sleep onset (p < 0.001), more time in bed (p < 0.001), slept longer (p < 0.01), and had lower sleep efficiency (p < 0.001) compared with the CFV pilots. The sleepiness levels of all pilots were slightly elevated on the first workday but lower on the following workdays (day 2p < 0.001, day 3p < 0.05). For both pilot groups, no major change in sleep or sleepiness parameters throughout the workweek was detected. The NAA pilots reported somewhat more disturbed sleep but obtained more sleep compared with the CFV pilots.

Subjective and objective sleep among air ambulance personnel

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of shift work on sleep among pilots and Helicopter Emergency Medical Service crew members (HCM) in the Norwegian Air Ambulance. Sleep was assessed by diaries and actigraphy during a workweek (24 h duty for 7 consecutive days) in the winter season and a workweek during the summer season in pilots and HCM (N = 50). Additionally, differences in sleep were studied between the week before work, the workweek, and the week after work in both seasons. Results indicated that bedtime was later (p <.001) and time spent in bed (p <.05) was shorter during the summer, compared to the winter, season. The workers delayed the sleep period in the workweek, compared to the week before (winter: p <.001, summer: p <.001) and the week after (winter: p <.05-.001, summer: p <.001). They spent more time in bed during the workweek, compared to the week before (winter: p <.001, summer: p <.01) and after (winter: p <.001, summer: p =.37). Further, the workers had longer wake after sleep onset during the workweek, compared to the week before (winter: p <.001, summer: p <.01) and the week after (winter: p <.01, summer: p <.01). Finally, the workers had lower sleep efficiency during the workweek recorded by actigraphy compared to the week before (winter: p <.01, summer: p <.001) and the week after (winter: p <.01, summer: p <.001). According to the sleep diaries the total sleep time was 7:17 h in the winter and 7:03 h in the summer season. Overall, the sleep was somewhat affected during the workweek, with delayed sleep period, longer wake after sleep onset, and lower sleep efficiency compared to when off work. However, the workers spent more time in bed during the workweek compared to the weeks off, and they obtained over 7 h of sleep in both workweeks. Our findings suggest that the pilots and the HCM sleep well during the workweek, although it affected their sleep to some extent.