Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://scholarworks.montana.edu/handle/1/733
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Item Effects of sleep restriction on social contagion of emotional memory(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2024) Giannakopoulos, Konstadena Linda; Co-chairs, Graduate Committee: Cara A. Palmer and Michelle L. MeadeThe amount of sleep that one gets affects their emotional perception, emotional learning and memory, and interactions with others. The current research study examines the effects of sleep restriction on the social contagion of emotional memory. Participants first came to the lab to complete a series of questionnaires to determine eligibility, collect demographics, and to be trained on how to use the sleep watches and sleep diaries for a week of sleep monitoring. Participants completed one week of sleep monitoring using sleep diaries and actigraphy, and then were randomly assigned to either one night of either adequate sleep (8h) or restricted sleep (4h) before returning to the lab. Then, participants learned and recalled a series of emotional images alongside a confederate who recalled both correct and incorrect images. On later individual recall tests, participants were equally likely to incorporate the negative, positive, and neutral images suggested by the confederate, but on recognition tests, social contagion effects were larger for the negative and positive images. Additionally, our findings support a negativity bias in memory on both recall and recognition tests. There was no significant effect of sleep restriction. The results of this study are consistent with source monitoring theories of memory and have important implications for understanding how sleep influences social emotional memory.Item Implementation of a tummy time protocol: a quality improvement project in a level 3B NICU(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Nursing, 2024) Chaffin, Taylor Christine; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Benjamin J. Miller; This is a manuscript style paper that includes co-authored chapters.Background: Infants who spend prolonged periods in the supine position, particularly in the NICU, face an increased risk of plagiocephaly and developmental delays. Supine sleeping is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, "Back to Sleep" campaign, which has successfully reduced sudden infant death syndrome by 40-60%. However, an increase in cranial abnormalities was observed following the widespread adoption. Daily tummy time supports motor development, reduces the risk of plagiocephaly, and promotes parental bonding. Methods: A six-week tummy time protocol was implemented in a level 3b NICU for infants who were 32 weeks corrected gestational age and medically stable. Brief 1-2-minute tummy time sessions were completed in the infant's bed or while holding with a parent. Tummy time sessions, education, and return demonstrations were documented on a bedside tracker. Pre- and post-implementation surveys were distributed to staff to gather perspectives. Parent surveys were distributed at discharge to evaluate readiness to complete tummy time at home. Results: Between January 15th and February 25th, only 23 out of 42 eligible infants had tracker sheets returned (55%). Out of 504 eligible days, tummy time sessions were recorded on 214 days, accounting for 42%. Post-implementation staff surveys showed positive results regarding their confidence in educating parents (M=4.7, sd=0.47) and the ease of implementation (M=4.38, sd=0.65). Comparing the results of the pre-and post-implementation surveys using a t-test yielded no significance. Obstacles to compliance included difficulty integrating new workflows, time constraints for education completion, tummy time, and documentation. Conclusion: Implementing the Tummy Time Protocol was crucial in changing practice patterns to align with best practices for infants admitted to the NICU. However, more work must be done to integrate tummy time sessions, early education, and documentation into a new workflow. Suggestions for improvement were provided, focusing on incorporating documentation into the electronic health record (EHR) system to improve compliance and reduce the risk of losing tracking sheets. In addition, future research is necessary to evaluate the long-term effects of tummy time implementation within the NICU. Specifically, research should focus on rates of plagiocephaly and outpatient therapy referrals following discharge from the NICU.Item Sleep and savoring: the influence of sleep restriction on positive emotion regulation(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2022) Powell, Suzanna Lee; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Cara A. PalmerAlthough previous research broadly demonstrates that sleep loss leads to reductions in positive affect, relatively few studies examine the impact of sleep loss on low and high arousal positive affective processes, the regulation of positive emotions, or the influence of different sleep stages. The current study sought to build on previous findings that suggest slow wave and rapid eye movement stages of sleep may have distinct influences on affect by examining the effects of sleep restriction on positive affect, reactivity, and regulation (i.e., savoring and dampening). Thirty-four participants (50% female, ages 18-25 years) were included in final analyses. Participants completed a healthy night of sleep (9h time in bed) and a night of sleep restriction (4h time in bed). Sleep was restricted between participants in two ways, early in the night to primarily restrict slow wave sleep and later in the night to primarily restrict rapid eye movement sleep. Following both a night of normal sleep and the night of sleep restriction, participants completed questionnaires to measure positive affect, and a video task which instructed them react normally or to savor while watching positive affect-inducing videos. After each video, participants reported on their feelings of valence, arousal, and high and low arousal positive affect. Savoring and dampening strategies utilized during the task were also reported. Following sleep restriction participants reported diminished high and low arousal positive affect compared to when they were well-rested. Participants also reported less positive reactivity to the videos when they were sleep restricted compared to when they were well-rested after both reacting normally and after savoring. However, participants experienced greater increases in positive affect when savoring compared to when they were instructed to react after sleep restriction. Slow wave sleep loss was related to marginally reduced positive affect compared to loss of rapid eye movement sleep, but no other effects of type of sleep restriction emerged. This study indicates that sleep loss results in diminished high and low arousal positive affect and blunted reactivity to positive stimuli, but that engaging in intentional up-regulation strategies may help buffer the negative effects of sleep loss.Item Sleep attitudes in adolescents: demographic differences and associations with sleep health(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2023) Alvarado, Giovanni; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Cara A. PalmerAbout 70-90% of adolescents in the United States receive less than the recommended 8 hours of sleep on a nightly basis despite its importance in everyday functioning (Keyes et al., 2015). Health-related attitudes are modifiable and predict actual health behaviors and previous research suggests that there are differences in how people value sleep (Ruggiero et al., 2019). Although previous work has examined sleep attitudes in teenagers, this has yet to be examined quantitatively in relation to actual sleep behavior. The purpose of this study is to examine how adolescents prioritize sleep and how this relates to other sleep outcomes. Participants included 649 adolescents from the United States (ages 13-18, M = 16.2, SD = 1.08; female = 79.7%; white = 45.2%) and were recruited through advertisements distributed throughout Instagram. Participants completed a brief 15-minute online survey to assess sleep outcomes and sleep attitudes. Adolescents completed the Charlotte Attitudes Towards Sleep Scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Sleep Timing Questionnaire, the Adolescent Sleep Hygiene Scale, the MacArthur Scale of Subjective Social Status - Youth Version, and sociodemographics. A series of regression models were conducted examining sleep outcomes predicted by adolescent sleep attitudes while adjusting for sociodemographics. An additional regression model was conducted examining adolescent sleep attitudes predicted by perceived socioeconomic status while adjusting for sociodemographics. Results suggested that teens who reported more positive attitudes towards sleep also reported longer sleep duration, better sleep quality, shorter sleep latency, earlier weekday and weekend bedtimes, and better sleep hygiene. There were also no significant differences in sleep atttitudes across sociodemographics. Follow-up exploratory analyses examined the two sleep attitudes subscales as independent predictors and outcomes and the pattern of findings remained unchanged. This study helps address the lack of research surrounding sleep attitudes in an adolescent sample. Results showed that sleep attitudes significantly predict sleep outcomes, but no significant differences were found across sociodemographic groups once accounting for covariates. Overall, findings from this study advance research on sleep attitudes by examining attitudes in a youth sample and suggest that sleep attitudes are a possible modifiable target to minimize sleep health difficulties.Item The impact of acoustic stimulation and daytime napping on heart rate variability and sleep architecture(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2023) Nicevski, Jennifer Rose; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Dawn TarabochiaReceiving adequate overnight sleep is imperative for proper autonomic nervous system function. Recent studies utilizing acoustic stimulation (AS) have shown an improvement in sleep quality when applied during nighttime sleep, although the implications of AS on napping are not known. The purpose of the current study was to assess the impact of AS during a daytime nap on sleep and autonomic function. We hypothesized that AS (0.8 Hertz monaural beats at 30 decibels) would improve heart rate variability (HRV) during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and increase time spent in slow wave sleep in young adults. 25 young healthy adult subjects (12 men, 13 women, age: 23 + or - 1 yrs, BMI: 24 + or - 1 kg/m2) took part in the study. Participants were enrolled into a randomized, placebo-controlled crossover design where they completed two 90-minute afternoon nap opportunities with or without AS, at least one day apart. During each testing session, participants were fitted with gold-standard polysomnographic (PSG) equipment and five-lead electrocardiogram (ECG). Subjective questionnaires assessing sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale) and anxiety (Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory) were given prior to and following each nap opportunity. ECG was recorded continuously starting 5 minutes prior to lights out until awakening, allowing assessment of wake and sleep HRV. Contrary to our hypothesis, there were no significant changes in total sleep time (Control: 73 + or - 4 vs. AS: 72 + or - 4 min, P=0.850), slow wave sleep (Control: 30 + or - 4 vs. AS: 31 + or - 4 min, P=0.855), or other objective sleep measurements between conditions (All P>0.05). AS did not impact sleep HRV measures (All P>0.05). However, there was a significant main effect for time where napping resulted in a significant increase in the R-R interval (F(1,19)=25.683, P<0.001) and reduction of self-report anxiety (F(1,24)=8.229, P=0.008), but these responses were not different across conditions (time x condition, P>0.05). Napping elicited a paradoxical increase of diastolic (F(1,24)=14.483, P=0.001) and mean (F(1,24)=10.857, P=0.003) arterial pressure, but again these responses were not different across conditions (time x condition, P>0.05). In summary, the current study supports beneficial impacts of daytime napping on anxiety levels, but minimal effects of AS on sleep architecture and autonomic function.Item Mindfulness and self-compassion: associations with sleep heath and pre-sleep arousal(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2023) Deutchman, Dagny R.; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Cara A. PalmerMore than half of college students are not getting adequate sleep. Burgeoning research suggests that mindfulness and self-compassion are both associated with better sleep health, potentially via a reduction in pre-sleep cognitive and somatic arousal. This study seeks to delineate: 1) how trait and pre-sleep mindfulness and self-compassion are associated with measures of sleep health (subjective sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, sleep duration, sleep onset latency, wake after sleep onset, sleep timing, and sleep regularity), 2) how mindfulness and self- compassion relate to measures of pre-sleep arousal, and 3) whether the effects of mindfulness and self-compassion on sleep health outcomes is mediated by cognitive and somatic pre-sleep arousal. Participants (n = 75) completed questionnaires and one week of daily diary reports and actigraphy. Results suggest that trait mindfulness and self-compassion were not significantly associated with pre-sleep arousal or sleep health. Pre-sleep mindfulness was not associated with cognitive pre-sleep arousal; however, pre-sleep self-compassion was negatively associated with cognitive pre-sleep arousal. Associations between mindfulness and sleep, and associations between self-compassion and sleep were not mediated by pre-sleep arousal. This study adds to a growing body of research to help illuminate possible protective factors such as mindfulness and self-compassion for increasing overall sleep health in college students.Item Influence of alpha intrusion during sleep: psychological and physiological implications(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2022) Greenlund, Ian Mark; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Jason CarterPoor sleep quality is pervasive in developed societies from chronic sleep disturbances or self-imposed sleep curtailment. Sleep disorders like insomnia are associated with regular sleep difficulties including sleep initiation and maintenance. Anxiety and depression exhibit a bidirectional relationship with insomnia, potentially exacerbating poor sleep quality and altering sleep microarchitecture via high frequency electroencephalographic (EEG) intrusion. This includes wake EEG alpha and beta rhythms. An association between high frequency intrusion and psychological dysfunction is present, but little is known regarding alpha and beta frequency intrusion 1) presence with state and trait anxiety symptoms, 2) impact on nocturnal blood pressure regulation, and 3) exacerbation with binge alcohol consumption. In study 1, we examined the relationship between state and trait anxiety severity with alpha and beta intrusion during stage N2 sleep, slow wave sleep (SWS), and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep in 32 participants. We demonstrated that alpha and beta frequency intrusion was augmented in participants with higher state, but not trait anxiety. In study 2, we investigated whether alpha and beta frequency intrusion impacted nocturnal blood pressure regulation in 36 young, healthy adults. Overall, systolic arterial pressure (SAP) dipping and cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity (cvBRS) were not related alpha and beta spectral power during sleep. In study 3, we explored whether binge alcohol consumption could further exacerbate alpha and beta intrusion during sleep in higher state and trait anxiety participants in 31 participants. A secondary aim of this study was to determine if high frequency spectral power was different between sexes following alcohol consumption. Following laboratory familiarization night (study 2), participants were tested twice, ~1 month apart in a randomized, crossover design consuming either an alcohol dose (study 3) based upon biological sex and body weight, or fluid control beverage (study 1) two hours prior to lights out. Alpha and beta spectral power was not different between lower and higher state and trait anxiety, but was augmented in females compared to age-matched males. Collectively, these studies are the first investigate alpha intrusion presence with state and trait anxiety symptoms, impact on nocturnal blood pressure regulation, and sex specific exacerbation following alcohol consumption.Item Improving sleep opportunities in hospitalized postpartum mothers(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Nursing, 2022) Cantwell, Lindsay Rose; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Christina BorstSleep deprivation and the fatigue experienced by new mothers remain well-accepted facts of life after the birth of a newborn. In the past, most new mothers utilized hospital nurseries to aid them in caring for their infants after birth; but recent paradigm practice changes in hospitals emphasize rooming-in, breastfeeding, and strongly discourage separation of the mother/newborn couplet. In Baby-Friendly accredited hospitals, postpartum mothers are encouraged to prioritize their infant's needs often above their own, contributing to significant maternal sleep deprivation and fatigue. This quality-improvement project aimed to increase sleep/rest opportunities for mothers through the implementation of coordinated quiet times on a postpartum unit in a Baby-Friendly hospital in the northwestern area of the United States. The Knowledge to Action framework guided this project. Staff received education about the importance of postpartum sleep and the quiet-time practice change. The implementation took place over 4 weeks. Chart reviews were completed, and the mothers who received quiet times were tracked. Practice outcomes included 51% of postpartum moms having a quiet time during week 1; week 2, 64%; week 3, 57%; and week 4, 62%. The quality-improvement project successfully increased sleep/rest opportunities for mothers through quiet times. Prior to the project, there was no standardized effort on the unit to promote maternal sleep or rest. An increase of over 50% during all practice weeks was accomplished. Additionally, there was no significant increase in infants utilizing the nursery, making this intervention viable in the Baby-Friendly hospital setting.Item Is music an effective intervention for improving sleep quality among adult postoperative open-heart patients: a feasibility project(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Nursing, 2019) Olds, Jenna Leann; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Alice RunningSleep deprivation is a common disorder known to impair the immune system and healing. Noise, pain, anxiety, and illness in general contribute to sleep deprivation. Patients admitted to the hospital setting are at heightened risk for complications related to decreased quality of sleep. Pharmacological interventions such as opioids and sleep aids are frequently administered to combat this issue. Integrative therapies are often overlooked as a way to increase quality sleep while hospitalized. One of the safest and easiest alternative interventions to employ is music. The purpose of this pilot feasibility project was to determine whether implementing music at the bedside during hours of sleep in the acute coronary-care setting addressed quality of sleep for postoperative open-heart patients. While statistical significance was not met in this project, promising results were found.Item A nursing care approach for promotion of natural sleep in the hospitalized individual(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Professional Schools, 1970) Gill, Barbara Pou