Functional link between distal vasodilation and sleep-onset latency?
Abstract
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.
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Changes in thermoregulatory effectors contribute to modification of core body and distal skin temperatures and affect sleep and waking behavior.
“These changes in thermoregulatory effectors in turn contribute to the modification of core body and distal skin temperatures [4–6] and affect sleep and waking behavior [7,8].”
From Human thermal perception and time of day: A review (2021) · cites this paper as [7]
Melatonin enhances heat loss by influencing peripheral vasodilatation, resulting in modification of core body and distal skin temperatures and regulation of sleep.
“Melatonin enhances heat loss by influencing peripheral vasodilatation [54,55], which results in modification of core body and distal skin temperatures and regulation of sleep [7,8].”
From Human thermal perception and time of day: A review (2021) · cites this paper as [7]
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- Authors
- Kräuchi, K., Cajochen, C., Werth, E., & Wirz-Justice, A.
- Affiliations
- Universitäre Psychiatrische Kliniken Basel (CH)
- Chronobiology and Sleep Laboratory, Psychiatric University Clinic, Wilhelm Klein Strasse 27, CH-4025 Basel, Switzerland
- Venue
- American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology
- Publisher
- American Physiological Society
- Published
- 2000-03-01
- Volume
- 278
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- R741-R748
- ISSN
- 0363-6119 (ISSN-L)
- 1522-1490
- OpenAlex
- W2162007196
- Cited by
- 356
- References
- 25
- Citations by year
- 2026: 28 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 6.01
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Sleep and Wakefulness Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Thermoregulation and physiological responses
- Keywords
- sleep latency, heat loss, thermoregulation, skin temperature gradient, sleep initiation, nocturnal sleep, core body temperature, heart rate, melatonin onset, subjective sleepiness
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Body Temperature, Electroencephalography, Humans, Male, Predictive Value of Tests, Skin Temperature, Sleep, Sleep Wake Disorders, Vasodilation
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