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Investigating couples' sleep: an evaluation of actigraphic analysis techniques
1Centre for Research on Ageing and Gender (CRAG), Department of Sociology, School of Human Sciences, University of Surrey, Surrey, UK. r.meadows@surrey.ac.uk
Journal of Sleep Research
|December 21, 2005
Summary
This study reviews methods for analyzing couples' sleep, introducing two new techniques. The Partner Impact on Sleep Wake Analysis (PISWA) shows promise for understanding bed partner interactions.
Area of Science:
- Sleep Science
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Data Analysis
Background:
- Existing actigraphy methods like 'blip' analysis, fast wavelet transformations (FWT), and correlation analysis have limitations in assessing interpersonal sleep impact.
- A comprehensive review comparing these methods for couples' sleep analysis is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and compare existing actigraphy-based methods for analyzing the impact of one partner's sleep on another.
- To introduce and evaluate two novel analytical methods: Lotjonen's sleep/wake algorithm and the Partner Impact on Sleep Wake Analysis (PISWA).
Main Methods:
- Actigraphy data and audio sleep diaries from 18 couples were collected.
- Existing methods ('blip' analysis, FWT, correlation) were reviewed for their applicability to couples' sleep.
- Two new methods, Lotjonen's algorithm and PISWA, were constructed and assessed.
Main Results:
- 'Blip' analysis and correlation analysis highlight epoch-to-epoch relationships but have limitations in capturing movement nuances.
- FWT offers pattern recognition but is difficult to quantify.
- Lotjonen's algorithm shows potential for classifying sleep/wake states with movement but requires visualization.
- PISWA integrates elements of 'blip' analysis and the sleep/wake algorithm, showing promise for quantifying partner impact.
Conclusions:
- No single existing actigraphy method fully captures the complexities of partner sleep influence.
- The proposed Partner Impact on Sleep Wake Analysis (PISWA) method demonstrates the most potential for accurately assessing interpersonal sleep dynamics in couples.