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Cardiac activity during sleep onset

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 September 2001

HELEN J. BURGESS ,
JAN KLEIMAN  and
JOHN TRINDER
HELEN J. BURGESS
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Melbourne, Parkville Victoria, Australia
JAN KLEIMAN
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Melbourne, Parkville Victoria, Australia
JOHN TRINDER
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Melbourne, Parkville Victoria, Australia
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Abstract

Alterations in a number of measures of cardiac activity were examined during sleep onset in 6 participants over 3 experimental nights. Each sleep onset was divided into four consecutive phases: wakefulness, mixed alpha and theta activity, stage 2 NREM sleep with arousals, and stable stage 2 sleep. The variables measured were heart rate (HR), respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), pre-ejection period (PEP) and T-wave amplitude (TWA). Respiration rate (RR) was also measured. HR and RR were lower in stable Stage 2 sleep compared with wakefulness, whereas PEP, TWA and RSA did not change significantly. During the second and third phases of sleep onset, HR decreased at each transition into sleep and increased following each spontaneous arousal. This increase resolved rapidly, with a return to sleep levels by 12 beats after the arousal. HR changes are discussed with reference to RSA, PEP, TWA and the concept of a waking reflex.

Keywords

Heart ratePre-ejection periodRespiratory sinus arrhythmiaSleepT-wave amplitudeRespiration rate
Type
Research Article
Information
Psychophysiology , Volume 36 , Issue 3 , May 1999 , pp. 298 - 306
Copyright
© 1999 Society for Psychophysiological Research

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