Kräuchi K, Cajochen C, Werth E, Wirz-Justice A
Chronobiology and Sleep Laboratory, Psychiatric University Clinic, Wilhelm Klein Strasse 27, CH-4025 Basel, Switzerland.
Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2000 Mar;278(3):R741-8. doi: 10.1152/ajpregu.2000.278.3.R741.
Thermoregulatory processes have long been implicated in initiation of human sleep. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of heat loss in sleep initiation, under the controlled conditions of a constant-routine protocol modified to permit nocturnal sleep. Heat loss was indirectly measured by means of the distal-to-proximal skin temperature gradient (DPG). A stepwise regression analysis revealed that the DPG was the best predictor variable for sleep-onset latency (compared with core body temperature or its rate of change, heart rate, melatonin onset, and subjective sleepiness ratings). This study provides evidence that selective vasodilation of distal skin regions (and hence heat loss) promotes the rapid onset of sleep.
长期以来，体温调节过程一直被认为与人类睡眠的开始有关。本研究的目的是在经过修改以允许夜间睡眠的恒定日常方案的受控条件下，评估热量散失在睡眠开始中的作用。通过远端到近端的皮肤温度梯度（DPG）间接测量热量散失。逐步回归分析表明，DPG是睡眠起始潜伏期的最佳预测变量（与核心体温或其变化率、心率、褪黑素开始分泌时间以及主观嗜睡评分相比）。本研究提供了证据，表明远端皮肤区域的选择性血管舒张（从而热量散失）促进了睡眠的快速开始。
