Can we put the first night effect to bed? An analysis based on a large sample of healthy adults. (2nd December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sprajcer, Madeline; Gupta, Charlotte; Roach, Gregory; Sargent, Charli
• Is Part Of: Chronobiology international. Volume 39:Number 12(2022)
• Page Start: 1567
• Page End: 1573
• Publication Date: 2022-12-02
• Subjects: Sleep research -- sleep protocol -- total sleep time -- adaptation night -- control night; Chronobiology -- Periodicals; Biological rhythms -- Periodicals; Circadian rhythms -- Periodicals; 571.77
• DOI: 10.1080/07420528.2022.2133611
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0742-0528

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The 'first night effect' refers to individuals experiencing poorer sleep during their first night in a laboratory. The effect is attributed to sleeping in a new environment, as well as wearing electrodes on the head and face, and is often cited as a reason for including an adaptation night in sleep research protocols. However, in the time since the 'first night effect' was initially reported, the conditions and equipment used in modern sleep laboratories have changed considerably, which may reduce the 'first night effect.' The aim of this study was to examine the impact of the 'first night effect' on sleep in a sample of healthy adults. Participants (n = 124; 22.7 ± 3.6 years) were given a 9-hour sleep opportunity (23:00–08:00 h) on two consecutive nights in a time-isolated sleep laboratory with sleep measured via polysomnography. Differences in dependent sleep variables between Night 1 and Night 2 were examined using paired t-tests. There was no difference in sleep onset latency (p = .295), total sleep time (p = .343), wake after sleep onset (p = .410), or sleep efficiency (p = .342) between Nights 1 and 2. However, participants spent more time in stage one (p = .001), and less time in stages two (p = .029) and three (p = .013) on Night 1 compared with Night 2. This suggests that, where primary sleep variables are the focus and not sleep architecture or arousals (e.g., where sleep is used as an independent variable), including an adaptation night may not be necessary.