Do you have a high level of stress in your life? Can you relate to an astronaut traveling to Mars? Depending on your lifestyle it may or may not be a fair comparison. Crew members on such a mission are living and working in extreme conditions resulting in high stress levels and poor sleep quality. However, life can be very stressful at times and for most of us a good night’s sleep is hard to come by. Researchers at the JBR Institute of Health Education Research & Technology in South Carolina aimed to test the association between quality of sleep and stress in individuals with TMD (temporomandibular joint dysfunction) in a simulated Mars mission. 24 healthy crew members were recruited for this study. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate (HR) were recorded along with a symptom checklist based on nine dimensions of psychological functioning. After 6 days of mission, 15 crew members reported temporomandibular joint pain. 5 crew members reported simple muscle pain (SM) as well as significantly poorer sleep duration. Whether you are on a simulated mission to Mars or a mother of 4 young children, high stress levels and poor sleep duration is going to play a role in your life. Dr. Stan Farrell, a member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine and board certified with the American Board of Orofacial Pain, has extensive training it treating sleep disorders and temporomandibular joint disorders. Dr. Stan Farrell uses the most effective methods of treatment and works diligently to erase the pain caused by TMD in the lives of his patients. If you or someone you know is experiencing poor sleep duration and or TMD symptoms, please schedule an appointment with Dr. Farrell at AZ TMJ today. www.headpaininstitute.com
Rai B, Kaur J. President, Simulated Microgravity and Human Body, JBR Institute of Health Education Research & Technology, KSI, South Carolina, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to test the association between quality of sleep and stress in individuals with TMD (temporomandibular joint dysfunction) in simulated Mars mission.
METHODS: The 24 healthy crew members were recruited. The physiological measures of systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate (HR) were recorded. The Symptom Checklist-90-revised was used which was based on nine dimensions of psychological functioning. The Multidimensional Pain Inventory was pain severity, social and physical activities, affective distress, social support, and feelings of life control. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used to measure the number of hours spent in bed and during asleep, frequency and reasons for awakening, and difficulty returning to sleep after awakening. The orofacial pain questionnaire was applied to measure pain experience using descriptors from the McGill Pain Questionnaire. Salivary cortisol and melatonin were measured.
RESULTS: The 15 crew members reported temporomandibular joint pain after 6 days of mission. On dental examination, 5 crew members reported simple muscle pain (SM) and other 10 crew members with TMD. The TMD group endorsed more affective descriptors of their pain experience. Compared to the TMD group, the SM group also reported significantly poorer sleep duration. The TMD group reported nonsignificantly more daytime dysfunction than the control. Higher levels of salivary cortisol and salivary melatonin were reported in the TMD group as compared to other group.
CONCLUSION: This study concludes that both quality of sleep and stress levels due to extreme condition (simulated Mars mission) were associated with TMD in simulated Mars mission.
