Sleep, evening light exposure and perceived stress in healthy nulliparous women in the third trimester of pregnancy

Diagnosis and management of common sleep disorders during the perinatal period

The perinatal period is a critical phase in a woman's life characterized by significant physical, emotional, and societal changes. Sleep disorders such as insomnia, restless legs syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea, and poor sleep quality have been observed to increase in prevalence during the perinatal period. Given the harmful impact of sleep disturbances on the health of both mother and newborn, it is crucial to diagnose and treat them promptly. There is a paucity of literature on sleep problems during the perinatal period. This narrative review aimed to summarize the existing evidence and provide suggestions for promptly identifying and managing these disorders.

Objective and self-reported assessment of sleep quality during each trimester of pregnancy: A prospective observational study

OBJECTIVES

Studies on actual circumstances of sleep in pregnant women are limited to surveys of self-reported symptoms, and objective assessments are missing. Sleep disturbances due to hormonal imbalances are common during pregnancy. This study aimed to assess sleep quality by objective assessment using an actigraph and by self-reported assessment using a questionnaire for sleep during each trimester of pregnancy and to elucidate how sleep quality changed from the first to the third trimester of pregnancy.

STUDY DESIGN

A longitudinal questionnaire survey was administered and sleep measurements using an actigraph were recorded at three time points during the first, second, and third trimesters in primiparous women who had conceived naturally.

RESULTS

During the first trimester, "feeling of being refreshed when waking up in the morning" was not noted, and a decline was observed in mental function. During the second trimester, a positive correlation was observed between morning sickness and sleep quality.

CONCLUSIONS

Sleep quality was the worst during the third trimester, with the shortest total sleep time and poor sleep efficiency, along with poor physical function scores. Back pain and leg cramps significantly correlated with sleep efficiency in the third trimester. Poor sleep during pregnancy begins in the first trimester. If minor problems, such as morning sickness, continue in the second trimester, sleep quality is greatly affected. Furthermore, during the third trimester of pregnancy, low back pain and leg cramps are more likely to occur due to an increase in the abdominal area and may interfere with sleep.

Evaluating the global prevalence of insomnia during pregnancy through standardized questionnaires and diagnostic criteria: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction

Insomnia during pregnancy presents significant medical care challenges and heightens the risk of adverse outcomes for both pregnant women and fetuses. This study undertook a meta-analysis to assess the global prevalence of insomnia during pregnancy, examining both the overall prevalence and regional variations.

Method

The aim of this study was to perform a meta-analysis of articles indexed in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science from the inception of these databases up to February 29, 2024. The study systematically reviewed the global prevalence of gestational insomnia and explored potential moderating factors, encompassing research type, publication date, regional influences, maternal age, pregnancy status, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms.

Result

Forty-four studies, encompassing a total of 47,399,513 participants, were included in the analysis. The overall prevalence of insomnia symptoms during pregnancy was 43.9%. Regional factors and depression emerged as the main factors affecting insomnia, with Europe (53.6%) surpassing North America (41.0%), followed by South America (50.6%) and Asia (40.7%). High depression rates (56.2%) correlated with increased insomnia prevalence compared to low depression rates (39.8%). The type of research and publication date showed no significant impact on the prevalence of insomnia symptoms.

Conclusion

The meta-analysis results indicated that the prevalence of insomnia symptoms was higher during pregnancy, especially among pregnant women who were in a highly depressed state or located in the European region.

Systematic review registration

PROSPERO, identifier CRD42018104460.

Photoperiod and metabolic health: evidence, mechanism, and implications

Circadian rhythms are evolutionarily programmed biological rhythms that are primarily entrained by the light cycle. Disruption of circadian rhythms is an important risk factor for several metabolic disorders. Photoperiod is defined as total duration of light exposure in a day. With the extended use of indoor/outdoor light, smartphones, television, computers, and social jetlag people are exposed to excessive artificial light at night increasing their photoperiod. Importantly long photoperiod is not limited to any geographical region, season, age, or socioeconomic group, it is pervasive. Long photoperiod is an established disrupter of the circadian rhythm and can induce a range of chronic health conditions including adiposity, altered hormonal signaling and metabolism, premature ageing, and poor psychological health. This review discusses the impact of exposure to long photoperiod on circadian rhythms, metabolic and mental health, hormonal signaling, and ageing and provides a perspective on possible preventive and therapeutic approaches for this pervasive challenge.

Circadian rhythm and sleep disruptions in relation to prenatal stress and depression symptoms

Circadian rhythm and sleep are related to health, but there is little data on the relationship between the sleep/wake rhythm and mood at different stages of pregnancy. The aim of this prospective, longitudinal study was to investigate the associations of circadian rhythm and sleep disruptions with stress and depression among women in early and late pregnancy. The participants were 26 pregnant women. Objective and subjective estimations of circadian rhythm and sleep were administered, namely actigraphy and the Biological Rhythms Interview of Assessment in Neuropsychiatry in the form of a questionnaire. The Perceived Stress Scale and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale were also used. Subjectively perceived circadian rhythm disruptions were positively related to stress. Tendency to maintain a regular rhythm of sleep and activity in early pregnancy and subjectively perceived disruptions of circadian rhythms in late pregnancy were positively associated with prenatal depression in late pregnancy. Sleep fragmentation and long time spent in bed at night in early pregnancy were positively associated with stress and depression in late pregnancy. The results suggest the importance of flexibility and the ability to adapt one's circadian activities to the demands of the situation of pregnancy-related changes in lifestyle. They also indicate the significance of good-quality uninterrupted night sleep in early pregnancy.

Sleep, light exposure at night, and psychological wellbeing during pregnancy

BACKGROUND

Psychological wellbeing during pregnancy is imperative for optimal maternal outcomes. The present study aimed to determine the association between sleep quality, light exposure at night, and psychological wellbeing in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy.

METHODS

This prospective study was conducted in 9 randomly selected government maternity clinics in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Healthy women aged 20-48 years old with single pregnancy were recruited using convenience sampling (n = 169). Sleep quality, light exposure at night, and psychological wellbeing were self-reported using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Harvard Light Exposure Assessment (H-LEA), and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) in the 2nd trimester and followed-up at the 3rd trimester.

RESULTS

During the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy, mild to severe symptoms of stress (10.7 and 11.3%), anxiety (42 and 44.3%), and depression (9.6 and 16.6%) were observed among the participants. Adjusted multiple linear regression revealed that poor sleep quality and higher light exposure at night were attributed to greater stress and depression symptoms in the 3rd trimester. Higher lux level exposed from 10 pm to < 1 am was associated with increased stress (β = 0.212, p = 0.037) and depression (β = 0.228, p = 0.024). Only poor sleep quality was observed to adversely affect anxiety (β = 0.243, p = 0.002) and depression levels (β = 0.259, p = 0.001) in the 2nd trimester.

CONCLUSIONS

Present study provided preliminary findings on the association between sleep quality, light at night, and psychological wellbeing of pregnant women. As a recommendation, future research could investigate whether public health interventions aimed at decreasing artificial light at night can benefit sleep quality and the psychological health of pregnant women.

Dietary Inflammatory Index and sleep quality and duration among pregnant women with overweight or obesity

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Sleep disturbances, which can worsen during pregnancy, have been linked to inflammatory processes. This study tested the hypothesis that more pro-inflammatory diets during pregnancy are associated with a decrease in sleep quality and shorter sleep duration.

METHODS

The Health in Pregnancy and Postpartum study promoted a healthy lifestyle in pregnant women with pre-pregnancy overweight or obesity (n = 207). Data from <16 weeks and 32 weeks gestation were used. Sleep was measured using BodyMedia's SenseWear® armband. Diet was assessed using two 24-hr dietary recalls. Energy-density Dietary Inflammatory Index (E-DIITM) scores were calculated from micro and macronutrients. Linear mixed-effects models estimated the impact of the E-DII score on sleep parameters.

RESULTS

Women with more pro-inflammatory diets, compared to those with more anti-inflammatory diets, were more likely to be nulliparous (51% vs. 25%, p = 0.03), frequent consumers of fast food (29% vs. 10% consuming on 4-6 days during the previous week, p = 0.01), ever-smokers (21% vs. 6%, p = 0.02), and younger (mean age 29.2 vs. 31.3 years, p = 0.02). For every one-unit increase (i.e., more pro-inflammatory) in the E-DII score, sleep latency increased by 0.69 min (p < 0.01). Among European Americans only, every one-unit higher E-DII was associated with a 2.92-min longer wake-after-sleep-onset (p = 0.02).

CONCLUSION

An E-DII score that is 5 points lower (i.e., more anti-inflammatory) would equate to about 105 min of additional sleep per week among European American women. Anti-inflammatory diets may help to counteract detriments in sleep during pregnancy, especially among European American women. Additional work is needed among African American women.

CLINICAL TRIALS IDENTIFIER

Name: Promoting Health in Pregnancy and Postpartum (HIPP); URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02260518; Registration Identifier: NCT02260518.

Evening blue-light exposure, maternal glucose, and infant birthweight

Maternal-fetal consequences of exposure to blue-wavelength light are poorly understood. This study tested the hypothesis that evening blue-light exposure is associated with maternal fasting glucose and infant birthweight. Forty-one pregnant women (body mass index = 32.90 ± 6.35 kg/m² ; 24-39 years old; 16 with gestational diabetes mellitus [GDM]) wore actigraphs for 7 days, underwent polysomnography, and completed study questionnaires during gestational week 30 ± 3.76. Infant birthweight (n = 41) and maternal fasting glucose (n = 30; range = 16-36 weeks) were recorded from the mothers' medical charts. Blue-light exposure was obtained from Actiwatch-Spectrum recordings. Adjusted and unadjusted linear regression analyses were performed to determine sleep characteristics associated with maternal fasting glucose and infant-birthweight. The mean fasting mid- to late-gestation glucose was 95.73 ± 24.68 mg/dl and infant birthweight was 3271 ± 436 g. In unadjusted analysis, maternal fasting glucose was associated with blue-light exposure (β = 3.82, p = 0.03). In the final model of multiple linear regression for fasting glucose, evening blue-light exposure (β = 4.00, p = 0.01) remained significant after controlling for gestational weight gain, parity, sleep duration, and GDM. Similarly, blue-light exposure was associated with infant birthweight (69.79, p = 0.006) in the unadjusted model, and remained significant (β = 70.38, p = 0.01) after adjusting for weight gain, wakefulness after sleep onset, gestational age at delivery, and GDM. Higher blue-light exposure in pregnancy is associated with higher fasting glucose and infant birthweight. Reduced use of electronic devices before bedtime is a modifiable behavior.

Insomnia evaluation and treatment during peripartum: a joint position paper from the European Insomnia Network task force "Sleep and Women," the Italian Marcè Society and international experts task force for perinatal mental health

Insomnia symptoms are frequent during peripartum and are considered risk factors for peripartum psychopathology. Assessing and treating insomnia and related conditions of sleep loss during peripartum should be a priority in the clinical practice. The aim of this paper was to conduct a systematic review on insomnia evaluation and treatment during peripartum which may be useful for clinicians. The literature review was carried out between January 2000 and May 2021 on the evaluation and treatment of insomnia during the peripartum period. The PubMed, PsycINFO, and Embase electronic databases were searched for literature published according to the PRISMA guidance with several combinations of search terms "insomnia" and "perinatal period" or "pregnancy" or "post partum" or "lactation" or "breastfeeding" and "evaluation" and "treatment." Based on this search, 136 articles about insomnia evaluation and 335 articles on insomnia treatment were found and we conducted at the end a narrative review. According to the inclusion/exclusion criteria, 41 articles were selected for the evaluation part and 22 on the treatment part, including the most recent meta-analyses and systematic reviews. Evaluation of insomnia during peripartum, as for insomnia patients, may be conducted at least throughout a clinical interview, but specific rating scales are available and may be useful for assessment. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), as for insomnia patients, should be the preferred treatment choice during peripartum, and it may be useful to also improve mood, anxiety symptoms, and fatigue. Pharmacological treatment may be considered when women who present with severe forms of insomnia symptoms do not respond to nonpharmacologic therapy.

A randomized controlled trial on the effect of blue-blocking glasses compared to partial blue-blockers on melatonin profile among nulliparous women in third trimester of the pregnancy

OBJECTIVE

In pregnancy melatonin regulates circadian rhythms, induce sleep, and has a neuroprotective positive effect on fetal development. Artificial blue light in the evening delays and suppresses melatonin production. Thus, we investigated the effect of blocking blue light on the melatonin profile.

METHODS

A randomized controlled trial (n=30 blue-blocking glasses vs. n=30 control glasses with partial blue-blocking effect) including healthy nulliparous pregnant women in the beginning of the third trimester. Salivary melatonin and subjective sleep were measured before and after two weeks of intervention/control condition. Saliva was sampled at 30-min intervals from 3 h before normal bedtime. Melatonin onset was set at 4.0 pg/ml.

RESULTS

Due to missing data melatonin onset was estimated for 47 participants. At posttreatment, melatonin onset advanced by 28 min in the blue-blocking group compared with the control condition (p=.019). Melatonin levels were significantly higher, favoring the blue-blocking glass condition, at clock time 20:00, 21:00 and 22:00 h, and for sample number 3 and 4. The phase angle (time interval) between melatonin onset and sleep bedtime and sleep onset time increased within the blue blocking group (+45 min and +41 min, respectively), but did not reach statistical significance compared to control condition (+13 min and +26 min, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Blocking blue light in the evening had a positive effect on the circadian system with an earlier onset and rise of melatonin levels in healthy nulliparous pregnant women. This demonstrated the effectiveness and feasibility of a simple non-pharmacological chronobiological intervention during pregnancy.

A randomized controlled trial on the effects of blue-blocking glasses compared to partial blue-blockers on sleep outcomes in the third trimester of pregnancy

OBJECTIVE

Sleep disturbances are common in pregnancy. Blocking blue light has been shown to improve sleep and may be a suitable intervention for sleep problems during pregnancy. The present study investigated the effects of blue light blocking in the evening and during nocturnal awakenings among pregnant women on primary sleep outcomes in terms of total sleep time, sleep efficiency and mid-point of sleep.

METHODS

In a double-blind randomized controlled trial, 60 healthy nulliparous pregnant women in the beginning of the third trimester were included. They were randomized, using a random number generator, either to a blue-blocking glass intervention (n = 30) or to a control glass condition constituting partial blue-blocking effect (n = 30). Baseline data were recorded for one week and outcomes were recorded in the last of two intervention/control weeks. Sleep was measured by actigraphy, sleep diaries, the Bergen Insomnia Scale, the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale and the Pre-Sleep Arousal Scale.

RESULTS

The results on the primary outcomes showed no significant mean difference between the groups at posttreatment, neither when assessed with sleep diary; total sleep time (difference = .78[min], 95%CI = -19.7, 21.3), midpoint of sleep (difference = -8.9[min], 95%CI = -23.7, 5.9), sleep efficiency (difference = -.06[%], 95%CI = -1.9, 1.8) and daytime functioning (difference = -.05[score points], 95%CI = -.33, .22), nor by actigraphy; total sleep time (difference = 13.0[min], 95%CI = -9.5, 35.5), midpoint of sleep (difference = 2.1[min], 95%CI = -11.6, 15.8) and sleep efficiency (difference = 1.7[%], 95%CI = -.4, 3.7). On the secondary outcomes, the Bergen Insomnia Scale, the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale and the Pre-Sleep Arousal Scale the blue-blocking glasses no statistically significant difference between the groups were found. Transient side-effects were reported in both groups (n = 3).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of blue-blocking glasses compared to partially blue-blocking glasses in a group of healthy pregnant participants did not show statistically significant effects on sleep outcomes. Research on the effects of blue-blocking glasses for pregnant women with sleep-problems or circadian disturbances is warranted.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03114072).

Sleep quality and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care at Jimma Medical Center, Jimma, Southwest Ethiopia, 2020: cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Sleep is a natural physiological process vital for the physical and mental wellbeing of pregnant women and their fetuses. Even though poor sleep quality is a common problem among pregnant women, it is not studied in developing countries including Ethiopia. Therefore, this study was aimed to assess the poor sleep quality and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care at Jimma medical center, Jimma, Southwest Ethiopia, 2020.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study design was conducted among 415 pregnant women at Jimma Medical Center (JMC). The study subjects were selected using a systematic random sampling technique. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to assess sleep quality using face-to-face interviews. SPSS version 25 was used to analyze data. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regressions were done to identify factors related to sleep quality. In multivariable logistic regression variables with a p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant and, adjusted OR (AOR) with 95% CI was used to present the strength of the association.

RESULTS

The prevalence of poor sleep quality among pregnant women was found to be 30.8% (95% CI (26.5, 35.2). In multivariable analysis, age ≥ 30 years old (AOR = 1.94;95%CI:1.03,3.66), Multigravida (AOR = 1.90;95%CI:1.90,3.32),depression (AOR = 4.26;95%CI:2.54,7.14),stress (AOR = 1.85;95%CI:1.20,3.02) were variables significantly associated with poor sleep quality.

CONCLUSION

This study found a high prevalence of poor sleep quality among pregnant women. Older age, gravidity, depression, and stress were associated with poor sleep quality. It is better to have routine sleep pattern screening and teach sleep hygiene practice for pregnant women.