NOCTURNAL MOTOR-ACTIVITY IN A COMMUNITY SAMPLE

The relationships between nocturnal motor activity and daytime psychop hysiological activation were investigated in a random community sample of 199 subjects aged 35-55 years. Nocturnal motor activity was record ed with the static charge sensitive bed (SCSB, Bio-Matt(R)). The assoc iation of nocturnal motor activity with demographic features, health s tatus, laboratory blood values, afternoon electrodermal activity (EDA) and psychological distress was studied. A model for nocturnal motor a ctivity was constructed and statistically analyzed. The analysis revea led that psychological distress, breathing disturbance, plasma glucose level and sympathetic activity were related significantly and indepen dently to nocturnal motor activity. Their relations and the associatio ns of sex, age, body mass index (BMI), sleep latency and health status with nocturnal motor activity were discussed in the context of the ar ousal theory of poor sleep.