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作者：Jim Kling  
出處：WebMD醫學新聞

　　June 18, 2010（德州聖安東尼奧）－新的研究顯示，大學生發生睡眠問題的頻率與成人的發現相仿，且與較差的學業表現有關。
　　
　　主要作者、發表這項研究結果的夏洛特北卡羅萊納州立大學精神學副教授Jane Gaultney博士表示，睡眠異常隨著年齡增長而變得常見，這項研究發現的比率有27%，與成人的發生頻率相當，但令人驚訝。
　　
　　她向Medscape神經學表示，我們可能不需要假設年輕人，整體健康的族群，將會有相同的風險，但他們可能確實有這樣的風險。且因為一些事件的風險，就像高血壓、心臟病發與中風可能與睡眠問題有關，找出睡眠問題是何時開始發生可能是很重要的。
　　
　　這些研究結果發表於SLEEP 2010：聯合專業睡眠學會第24屆年會上。
　　
　　【猝睡與失眠很常見】
　　這項研究收納2007到2008學年度在美國東南一所大型州立大學的1845位學生，受試者們完成睡眠-50普查，這已經被確效與多導睡眠圖為主的診斷比較。
　　
　　研究者們從大學註冊處取得參與者的學年分數平均（GPA）。70%受試者為白人、17%為黑人、4%為亞洲人、4%為拉丁美洲人、5%被區分為其他。年齡中位數為20.38歲，平均GPA為2.77。
　　
　　研究者們發現，27%（超過500位）受試者處於至少一個以上的睡眠異常風險。猝睡症與失眠是最常被報告的問題，接著是不寧腿症候群/週期性肢體運動異常，循環節律異常、情感異常、阻塞性睡眠中止症以及嗜睡症。
　　
　　相較於有睡眠異常（平均2.65；P <0.01）的受試者，未處於睡眠異常風險的受試者們GPA較高（平均2.82）。
　　
　　GPA低於2.0的學生族群有著阻塞性睡眠中止、失眠、猝睡症、循環節律性異常或是至少一種以上睡眠異常較高的風險。
　　
　　猝睡症的機率不尋常地高，研究者們認為這是異常值。其他睡眠異常的結果與一般成人大眾相差不遠。
　　
　　作者們的結論是，如果這些發現是具代表性的，接著睡眠篩檢以及治療這些大學生可能有很大的好處，特別是對處於學業失敗的高風險群們。
　　
　　Gaultney博士希望進行一項前瞻性研究，收納整個新報到班級，追蹤畢業GPA以及畢業與留級率。
　　
　　【不好的睡眠習慣】
　　俄亥俄州德通市Kettering醫學中心睡眠異常中心的臨床主任Donna Arand博士參加這場座談會，他向Medscape神經學表示，這項研究結果並不令人意外，大學生們如何通宵達旦是非常出名的，且熱衷於其他不良睡眠習慣。大學生也與生物學競爭。
　　
　　Arand博士指出，他們已經延遲睡眠期，所以很難讓他們早點入睡，而他們都是慢性睡眠缺乏，因為他們的課程從早上7點或8點開始。
　　
　　Arand博士表示，咖啡因與酒精可能也與這些問題有關，造成比成人更混亂的睡眠模式。然而，在進入職場後，人們經常很快地適應正常的工作天。
　　
　　我想這告訴我們，睡眠系統的強韌，以及年輕絕佳的韌性。他們違反這麼多我們已知應該出現的標準，目前為止他們看起來是沒問題的。
　　
　　這項研究並未接受商業贊助。Gaultney博士與Arand博士表示沒有相關資金上的往來。


Sleep Disorders Frequent in College Students; Linked to Poor Academic Performance

By Jim Kling
Medscape Medical News

June 18, 2010 (San Antonio, Texas) — Sleep disorders occur in college students at a frequency similar to that found in adults and are associated with worse academic performance, a new study suggests.

Sleep disorders become more common with age, so the 27% prevalence seen in this study, though similar to the frequency in adults, is a surprise, said lead author Jane Gaultney, PhD, associate professor of psychology at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, who presented the research.

"We may not necessarily assume that a young, generally healthy population would be equally at risk, but maybe they are," she told Medscape Neurology. "And since risks for things like high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes can be associated with sleep problems, it's probably important to figure out when that starts."

The results were reported here at SLEEP 2010: Associated Professional Sleep Societies 24th Annual Meeting.

Narcolepsy and Insomnia Frequent

The study included 1845 students at a large state university in the southeastern United States during the 2007 to 2008 academic year. Participants completed the Sleep-50 survey, which has been validated against polysomnogram-based diagnoses.

The researchers obtained participants' grade point average (GPA) from the university's registrar's office. Seventy percent of the participants were white, 17% were black, 4% were Asian, 4% were Latino, and 5% were classified as "other." Median age was 20.38 years, and median GPA was 2.77.

The researchers found that 27% (>500) of the participants were at risk for at least 1 sleep disorder. Narcolepsy and insomnia were the most frequently reported disorders, followed by restless legs syndrome/periodic limb movement disorder, circadian rhythm disorder, affective disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, and hypersomnia.

GPA was higher among participants not found to be at risk for a sleep disorder (mean, 2.82) compared with those who were (mean, 2.65; P < .01).

The group of students with a GPA lower than 2.00 had a higher percentage of individuals at risk for obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy, circadian rhythm disorder, or at least 1 sleep disorder.

Narcolepsy was found to occur at an unusually high rate, which the researcher believes to be an outlier. The results for other sleep disorders were comparable to prevalence estimates for the general adult population.

"If the findings reported here are representative, then sleep screening and treatment among college students may be of great benefit, particularly among individuals at risk for academic failure," the authors conclude.

Dr. Gaultney hopes to conduct a prospective study of an entire incoming class, tracking graduation GPA as well as graduation and retention rates.

Poor Sleep Habits

The study results are not that surprising, given how notorious college students are for pulling all-nighters and engaging in other poor sleep habits, Donna Arand, PhD, clinical director of the Sleep Disorder Center at Kettering Medical Center in Dayton, Ohio, who attended the session, told Medscape Neurology. Students are also struggling against biology.

"They have delayed sleep phase, so it's harder for them to get to sleep early, and they're all chronically sleep deprived because their classes start at 7 or 8 in the morning," Dr. Arand said.

Caffeine and alcohol may also contribute to the problem, Dr. Arand says, causing more disruptions to sleep patterns than in older adults. After entering the workforce, however, people generally adapt quickly to a normal workday.

"I think it speaks to the robustness of the sleep system and the wonderful malleability of youth," Dr. Arand adds. "They violate so many standards that we know should be present in sleep, yet they turn out okay."

The study did not receive commercial support. Dr. Gaultney and Dr. Arand have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

SLEEP 2010: Associated Professional Sleep Societies 24th Annual Meeting: Abstract 0112. Presented June 9, 2010.