WK8 - Mental Health and Sleep Flashcards
(24 cards)
What are the 5 human brainwaves?
- gamma 32-100Hz
- beta 13-32Hz
- alpha 8-13Hz
- Theta 4-8Hz
- Delta 0.5-4Hz
What is an athlete’s wellbeing/optimal functioning correlate with?
- sleep
- rest
- recovery
What are gamma waves associated with?
- heightened perception, learning, problem solving tasks, cognitive processing
What are beta waves associated with?
- awake, alert consciousness, thinking, excitement
What are alpha waves associated with?
physically and emotionally relaxed
What are theta waves associated with?
creativity, insight, deep states, dreams, deep meditations, reduced consciousness
What are delta waves associated with?
- deep (dreamless) sleep, loss of bodily awareness, repair
What do the EEG recordings during sleep show?
Awake
Stage 1 NREM Alpha
Stage 2 NREM Theta (sleep spindles; K-complexes)
Stage 3 NREM Delta
REM
Explain what our brain does during sleep.
Every 1.5hrs the waves oscillate from Stage N3 (deep sleep) to Stage R (almost awake)
The higher the amplitude and lower the frequency, the deep the sleep
How does sleep duration change over the life span?
- NREM-sleep and total REM sleep is highest when we are most young
-Sleep duration during week days begins high to low from 10yrs to 30yrs - sleep duration during holidays gradually decreases from ages 10-30 from 10.5-8hrs.
- sleep duration plateaus from age 40 and continues to decreased by minutes
Refer to Slide 10 regarding sleep duration amongst different athletes.
What happens when athletes sleep during training?
- lack of sleep compensated by naps/longer sleeps on no training days
-morning types - require morning training (triathlon) - evening types - require evening training (cricket)
-overtraining can lead to sleeping disorders
How does nutrition affect sleep?
- carbs can be quickly absorbed by body (high glycaemic index), seem to be more supportive of sleep if taken an hour before bed
- high amounts of fat seem to reduce total sleeping time
glucose metabolism and neuroendocrine function from chronic partial sleep deprivation can change carb metabolism, appetite, food intake and protein synthesis
Provide reasons for sleeping problems before competition.
- 60% athletes report sleeping problem prior to comps
Reasons:
- competitions start later (e.g. champions league)
- activating substances (e.g. caffeine) or physical/mental activation of comp)
- jet lag after travel
- compes or tournaments lasting several days
-distressing dreams
What is the prevalence of nightmares before competitions?
- 15% of athletes experience at least 1 distressing dream before important comp or game during preceding 12months
- almost equal no. reported at least 1 distressing dream in sports career
- dream content referred mainly to athletic failure
- main risk factor: frequency of nightmares experienced in general
How has lucid dreaming helped athletes?
- +ve effect on waking performance
- practice task while sleeping can +vely impact actual performance
- athletes lucid dreaming did not feel less rested
- potentially encourage lucid dream activities - improve recovery (e.g. relaxation)
What activities promote sleep?
- sleep hygiene recommendations
- daytime naps
- sleep extension
- limit use of electronic devices before bedtime
- develop a +ve mindset towards sleep
- establish a bedtime routine
How does sleep hygiene promote sleep?
- arrange bedroom dark, quiet and cool
- avoid alcohol, caffeine, and stimulating beverages before bedtime
- reduce cognitive and physical strain before bedtime
How do daytime naps promote sleep?
- reduce acute sleepiness
- must align with appropriate time of day and schedule
- establish individual optimal duration (avoid REM and deep for short-term recovery)
How does sleep extension promote sleep?
- may enhance performance and nood
- must align with schedule
- beneficial as long as sufficient drive to sleep at night is generated
How does limiting electronic devices before bedtime promote sleep?
- avoid emission of blue light (suppresses melatonin release, inhibits sleepiness)
-reduce activites that may cause cognitive/emotional arousal
How does a +ve mindset toward sleep promote sleep?
- challenge irrational attitudes and beliefs about sleep
- accept occasional occurrences of sleeplessness and unrestful sleep
How does a bedtime routine promote sleep?
- rituals/repetitive behaviours associated with sleep prepare body/mind for night
- relaxation/stress management strategies reduce cognitive and emotional arousal
How to lucid dream?
- practice good sleep hygiene
- use dream journal
- develop reality-testing system
- experiment with mnemonic induction of lucid dreams
- try wake back to bed technique
