Effect of music intervention for hyperarousal in people with different stress-related sleep vulnerability

Abstract

Objective To explore the arousal of people with high stress-related sleep vulnerability and the effect of music intervention on hyperarousal. Methods A total of 33 healthy subjects from China Rehabilitation Research Center were enrolled in this study. Based on the median value (17 score) of Ford Insomnia Response to Stress Test-Chinese Version (FIRST-C), they were divided into 2 groups: 16 cases of high stress-related sleep vulnerability and 17 cases of low stress-related sleep vulnerability. Multi-parameter physiological indexes monitoring system of Thought Technology Ltd. was used to gather physiological indicators [blood volume pulse (BVP), skin temperature, skin conduction, respiration rate, respiration amplitude and heart rate], and brain wave [δ wave, θ wave, low α wave and high α wave, α wave, sensory - motor rhythm (SMR), low β wave and high β wave].  Results Compared with low vulnerability subjects, high vulnerability subjects had significantly higher skin conduction (P = 0.003, 0.001), amplitude of SMR (P = 0.015, 0.031) and low β wave (P = 0.000, 0.001) before and after treatment, while had significantly increased high β wave after treatment (P = 0.004). After treatment, all subjects had significantly reduced BVP (P = 0.000), increased skin temperature (P = 0.000), increased respiration rate (P = 0.008) and reduced heart rate (P = 0.000). Compared with before treatment, high vulnerability subjects had significantly reduced skin conduction (P = 0.001), respiratory amplitude (P = 0.032), high α wave (P = 0.017) and low β wave (P = 0.013) after treatment. Compared with before treatment, low vulnerability subjects had significantly reduced skin conduction (P = 0.039), low α wave (P = 0.035), high α wave (P = 0.031), α wave (P = 0.044) and low β wave (P = 0.015) after treatment.  Conclusions Both physiological and cortical hyperarousal are presented in people with high stress-related sleep vulnerability in resting state. Music intervention can improve the hyperarousal of high vulnerability people, especially their physiological indicators. It can be used as a health management technique to prevent people with high stress-related sleep vulnerability from developing into chronic insomnia.

DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-6731.2017.05.005