Peter Grass

Bio: Peter Grass is an academic researcher from University of Marburg. The author has contributed to research in topics: Slow-wave sleep & Sleep in non-human animals. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 28 citations.

Daytime noise and subsequent night sleep in man.

Abstract: The effects of daytime noise on recovery processes during subsequent undisturbed night sleep were studied in six healthy men (21–27 years), exposed to 80 dB (A) pink noise 8 h per day for 2 days. Sleep EEG, ECG, and respiration were recorded in the laboratory for five consecutive nights: two baseline nights, two nights following noise stimulation, and again one baseline night. Additionally questionnaire data were collected, reflecting a subjective impairment of the recovery function of sleep after noise exposure. EEG sleep data of the first post-noise night showed an increase in slow wave sleep with a simultaneous decrease in stage 2 sleep. During the second post-noise night these changes were less prominent. Three subjects additionally showed an instability in the sleep course coinciding with elevated heart and respiration rates. However, altogether the autonomic parameters were not clearly affected by the noise exposure. The findings support the assumption that strong daytime noise may interfere with subsequent sleep processes.

An Olfactory Stimulus Modifies Nighttime Sleep in Young Men and Women

Abstract: Aromatherapy is an anecdotal method for modifying sleep and mood. However, whether olfactory exposure to essential oils affects night‐time objective sleep remains untested. Previous studies also de...

A review of the non-auditory effects of noise on health

Abstract: This paper reviews epidemiological studies, human experimental studies, and animal research on the non-auditory effects of noise on health. The following topics are covered: vegetative responses (e.g., blood pressure, digestion), biochemical effects, excretion of catecholamines, sleep, physical illness, subjective annoyance, and mental health. Combined effects of noise and other occupational health hazards on physiological functioning and health are also reviewed. Overall, the results suggest that there are non-auditory health effects. However, these require confirmation in prospective, longitudinal studies with interventions reducing noise levels.

Self-Reported Sleep Quality, Job Stress, and Daytime Autonomic Activities Assessed in Terms of Short-Term Heart Rate Variability among Male White-Collar Workers

Abstract: To investigate the relationships among the amount of job stressors, self-reported sleep quality, and daytime autonomic activities, a questionnaire survey was conducted for 223 healthy male white-collar workers, and their short-term heart rate variability (HRV) was also examined. Half of the subjects complained of nightly poor sleep quality. Self-reported poor sleep quality was associated with a qualitative aspect of job stressors characterized by high amounts of “job difficulty”, less amounts of “achievement in job”, and less amounts of “support by colleagues”, and also with high amounts of personal distress and difficulty in changing their mood. Those who complained of poor sleep quality exhibited sympathetic predominance and reduced heartbeat intervals at standing rest, although job stressors was not correlated to HRV. These results suggest that their job stress disrupts nightly sleep, and also that their insufficient sleep at night causes daytime sympathetic predominance. However, the amount of job stressors was not directly associated with HRV. Further studies should focus on the relationships among chronic job stress, the satisfaction of sleep demands, and the daily and long-term variation in cardiac autonomic activities.

Cardiovascular responses and electroencephalogram disturbances to intermittent noises: effects of nocturnal heat and daytime exposure.

Abstract: During sleep, in thermoneutral conditions, the noise of a passing vehicle induces a biphasic cardiac response, a transient peripheral vasoconstriction and sleep disturbances. The present study was performed to determine whether or not the physiological responses were modified in a hot environment or after daytime exposure to both heat and noise. Eight young men were exposed to a nocturnal thermoneutral (20 degrees C) or hot (35 degrees C) environment disturbed by traffic noise. During the night, the peak intensities were of 71 dB(A) for trucks, 67 dB(A) for motorbikes and 64 dB(A) for cars. The background noise level (pink noise) was set at 30 dB(A). The noises were randomly distributed at a rate of 9.h-1. Nights were equally preceded by daytime exposure to combined heat and noise or to no disturbance. During the day, the noises as well as the background noise levels were increased by 15 dB(A) and the rate was 48.h-1. Electroencephalogram (EEG) measures of sleep, electrocardiograms and finger pulse amplitudes were continuously recorded. Regardless of the day condition, when compared with undisturbed nights, the nocturnal increase in the level of heart rate induced by heat exposure disappeared when noise was added. Percentages, delays, magnitudes and costs of cardiac and vascular responses as well as EEG events such as transient activation phases (TAP) due to noise were not affected by nocturnal thermal load or by the preceding daytime exposure to disturbances.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)