Factors affecting Sleep Quality

Alcohol and Caffeine Consumption

Students nowadays ought to have multiple school works in their different levels of

grade, specifically researchers states that college students are much more bombarded

with responsibilities and requirements for their academic performances (Sanchez et.al.,

2013). Due to this, one of their coping mechanism is to consume highly increased

amount of caffeine compared to the proper intake of caffein for improving cognitive

performance and alertness (Bertasi et.al., 2021). Furthermore, as a result of loaded

works each day students appears to be dependent on energy drinks and beverages

which has caffeine to cope up and reimburse the sleep that is deficient in them (Choi,

2020).

Varieties of energy drinks has a primary ingredient of caffein having guarana that

contains guaranine having similarities with caffein, an amino acid called taurine and

different sugar byproducts (Grumezescu and Holban, 2019). Caffeine contributes to the

behavioral, cognitive and health effects that can be either positive or negative

depending on the amount of caffeine consumed (Kromhout-Wegewijs, 2021). Moreover,

when caffein are consumed excessively can disrupt sleep and reduces sleep time

(Centofanti, 2020). Too much intake of it can disturb both sleep quality and have longer

lengths that perceived onset of sleep (Sanchez et.al., 2013).

Increases in nocturnal body movements, deficits in the formation of deeper

stages of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, and abnormalities in the temporal

organization of slow wave and rapid eye movement during sleep have all been linked to
excessive coffee consumption [6,10]. The phenomena of sleep inertia is caused by

disturbed NREM sleep combined with the buildup of adenosine and its sleep-inducing

impact [11]. Caffeine dependence may develop in persons who consume caffeine as a

result of a hidden need to combat sleep inertia, according to researchers [6].

Alcohol has long been thought to have a calming effect. People who drink too

much alcohol, on the other hand, have poor sleep quality, and patients with alcohol use

disorders frequently experience insomnia (Park et. al., 2015) Alcohol consumption also

affects sleep quality in various ways. A number of studies have shown that drinking

momentarily increases sleepiness, but later causes frequent nighttime and early

morning awakenings (Ebrahim et. al., 2013). Individuals with alcohol use disorders

frequently consume alcohol before sleep in an effort to improve their sleep. Many

moderate alcohol users also drink before sleep if they suffer from insomnia. (Chang et.

al., 2014)

Studies give evidences that moderate alcohol use increases the likelihood of

poor sleep quality and the use of sleep medication, but it is linked to a considerably

lower odds of short sleep duration while consumption of alcohol in lower levels may lead

to longer sleep duration (Valerio and et.al., 2016). Alcohol is often thought to cause

tiredness, and its sedative effects are explained by a variety of biological mechanisms

(Agarbio, 2018). The action of NDMA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptors, which bind

glutamate, a primary excitatory neurotransmitter, is inhibited by ethanol (Reus et.al.,

2016). Additionally, ethanol has been shown to boost the action of GABA (-aminobutyric

acid), an inhibitory neurotransmitter, as well as increased adenosine production and

adenosine receptor activation, resulting in the start of sleep (Kim et.al., 2019). It's
possible that the link between bad sleep and alcohol use is two-way, with poor sleep

quality leading to increasing alcohol consumption (Ong et.al., 2020). According to one

study, 30 percent of insomniacs use alcohol to help them sleep (Lohsoonthorn et.al.,

2013).

Subjective sleep quality, sleep length, and sleep continuation are all linked to

alcohol intake patterns. (Park et al., 2015). Men who consume more alcohol appear to

have poorer overall sleep quality, have more difficulties staying asleep rather than

falling asleep, have shorter overall sleep duration, and so have poorer subjective sleep

quality (Ebrahim et.al., 2013). Snoring, in particular, has been linked to alcohol

consumption among factors that disrupt sleep (Park et. al., 2015). As a result, research

have found that males who consume more alcohol have poorer sleep quality. In men,

the results of the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) had substantial

relationships with subjective sleep quality, sleep length, and sleep disruptions (Park et.

al., 2015).

Technologies

Technologies has been widely used especially now in the time of pandemic (Ali,

2020). Technologies has been innovated in order to enhance the quality of life, however

despite the good intention, bad consequences still occurred and one of this is its

influence to sleep quality (Fuller et.al., 2017). Technologies like Television,

Smartphones and Video games have been widely used nowadays, thus, it also affected

the sleep quality of many people (Zahid, 2021). A lot of studies suggest that sleep
quality is highly associated with technology usage, it was mentioned that poor sleep

quality happens due to the accumulation of blue light radiation that comes from latest

technologies (Calvo-Sanz and Tapia-Ayuga, 2020). Blue light radiation affects the sleep

quality in people because it restrains the synthesis of melatonin that is essential in sleep

(Hu et.al., 2020).

Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the body to regulate the sleep cycle or the

circadian rhythm, it is secreted in the pineal gland wherein extra penial sources of

melatonin were recorded in the retina, where blue light radiation enters (Vetter et.al.,

2021). Moreover, Low illumination during night time increases secretion of melatonin,

which is responsible for makes the people sleepy, however bright light during the day,

particularly blue light, suppresses melatonin production, which prevents people from

falling asleep (Feng et.al., 2016). Since blue light, which is present in new

technologies, inhibits release of melatonin the most, it's best to avoid it (Newsom,

2021).

Recent Studies imply that technology use does affect sleep quality in people, it

has been discovered that recurring early wakefulness is highly related to habitual use of

different kinds of technologies (Dube et.al., 2017). A study from Arora et.al., 2014

suggests that video gamers and music listeners are prone to prolonged sleep, in

addition the study also mentioned that mobile phone users, social media users, music

listeners as well as video game players are highly susceptible to difficulty in sleeping,

thus implying that technologies do affect the quality of sleep. Research from Taiwan

Female college also demonstrates that dependency on technologies like smartphone

shows a high relationship with poor sleep quality (Wang et.al., 2019)
Environment

Sleep is essential for general health and happiness. Inadequate sleep and sleep

disorders are common among adults and children, posing a public health threat,

especially when poor sleep is linked to negative health outcomes. Environmental

influences at the family and neighborhood level can alter good sleep, according to new

studies (Johnson et. al., 2018). Despite being understudied, recent research has shown

that environmental influences can affect sleep quality. Traditionally, researchers have

looked at specific aspects of the environment that can limit sleep opportunities, such as

untimely light exposure, vehicle traffic noise (including air, road, and rail), temperature,

and humidity (Basner et al., 2012). (Perron et. al., 2016). This previous research

included both self-reported and objective sleep metrics, the most prevalent of which was

sleep length. After controlling for age and gender, research have found that living in a

bad area is connected with sleeping 7-11 minutes less on average (Johnson et. al.,

2017).

Choosing a room with at least one window that views green space or water, as

well as exposure to natural amenities (green space), has been shown to reduce the

chance of insufficient sleep in observational studies (Grigsby-Toussaint et. al. ,2015).

The constructed neighborhood environment such as higher street smart walk score,

more social interaction places, street intersections, and population density was linked to

a 17-23 percent increased risk of short sleep duration (6 hours) in the Multi-Ethnic Study

of Atherosclerosis (MESA) (Johnson et. al., 2018). Family and household contextual

factors are associated with youth sleep patterns. The home environment encompasses

family behaviors which shape sleep patterns. During infancy, studies link maternal
depression and anxiety to increased number of infant sleep problems, including night

time awakening and more crying at bedtime (Goldberg et. al., 2013)

Although a thermally suitable atmosphere is vital for sleep maintenance, the

thermal environment in bedrooms is still generally ignored in thermal comfort research.

The human body is sensitive to ambient temperature while sleeping, according to

studies; even moderate heat or cold exposure reduces sleep quality significantly. We

analyzed air temperatures measured in bedrooms and the effects of heat and cold

exposure on sleep quality in this research, and then identified five aspects of

approaches or technologies that could improve the sleeping thermal environment while

consuming less energy. According to studies, there are two major research issues in the

sleeping thermal environment. One is to devise a sleeping-mode management strategy

for the air conditioner in the bedroom in order to achieve a little increase or avoid a

reduction in room air temperature as dawn approaches. The other is to use a local

heating, cooling, and/or ventilation system to efficiently control the energy in the bed

micro-environment. (Lan et. al., 2017) Sleep is associated with several poor health

outcomes like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, mortality, and many more,

enhancing sleep research may reduce public health burden. Interventions to improve

sleep should target the home sleeping environment such as shades, temperature

control, smart home lighting, physical environment in traffic, light and noise reduction,

urban planning to improve the social environment, as well as policies to improve

neighborhood safety and air pollution (Billings et. al., 2018)

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