Brain training helps with sleep disorder

Fight light sleep disorders with targeted training instead of medication

15/04/2015

A method of neurofeedback could eliminate mild sleep disorders. Those affected learn to direct their brainwaves so that they can consciously create a sleep pattern. As a result, the quality of sleep of patients improves, as Manuel Schabus, psychologist and sleep researcher at the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Salzburg, in conversation with the news agency „APA“ reported.

Medications for sleep disorders often have unpleasant side effects
Sleep deprivation is one of the cruelest torture methods in which the sufferer gradually loses his mind. Even mild sleep disturbances can cause uncomfortable symptoms, such as permanent tiredness, tension, increased stress levels or headaches. As a result, the ability to concentrate and memory suffer. Most patients no longer reach the deep sleep phase, so they will not recover from sleep. The reasons for sleep disorders are many. In a mild form stress is often the cause. Unprocessed conflicts, alcohol or nicotine consumption as well as drug abuse also have a negative impact on sleep. But also physical or mental illnesses as triggers come into question. If the lack of sleep persists over a longer period of time, it can have serious health consequences. Thus, the metabolism is reversed and diseases such as diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases can occur. In addition, depression is one of the possible consequences of chronic sleep deprivation.

Researchers at the University of Salzburg have now developed a method that works without medication. For sleeping aids often have unpleasant side effects such as dependence, habituation effects and memory disorders. „People with insomnia are in a state of overexcitation. The grip on the tablet is close, "explains Schabus. „Drugs often simply dampen nighttime brain activity, and thus helpful features such as memory consolidation, that is, nightly information chipping, making it easier to retrieve information the next day.“

Patients with mild sleep disorders can learn to control their brain waves
Schabus researchers are using a method of neurofeedback in which the brain waves are measured via special electrodes on the scalp and displayed on a monitor. Through the EEG, those affected learn to consciously control their brainwaves. The sleep patterns are used by so-called sleep spindle, which are characterized by a rapid up and down of the brain current activity. They are particularly common in the light sleep stage. „Through training, we were able to increase the sensorimotor rhythm while awake and the sleep spindles in 16 out of 24 slightly impaired patients. Those who responded well to training showed improved sleep quality, "said Schabus.

The patients completed ten learning sessions in which they observed and controlled their individual sensorimotor rhythm on the monitor. The researchers instructed them to direct a compass needle on the screen to a green dot using the power of mental relaxation.

Researchers found that the method used to consolidate memory content in learning and retrieving 80 pairs of words among participants and improving subjective sleep quality. However, these positive effects were only observed in patients with mild sleep disorders. With persistent or more pronounced insomnia, the neurofeedback method had no effect on sleep or memory. (Ag)