Throughout this period he explained of being woken up in a very strange way as he would\u00a0wake up with his eyes still shut. He was so disorientated by this that he would ask himself\u00a0(in his head) if he was awake, and answer it (by thinking) \u2018open your eyes and find out\u2019, he\u00a0did, and he was.<\/p>\n
Twelve months later the situation was no better, a short discussion with his neighbour resulted\u00a0in a significant change in sleep pattern, five, full uninterrupted nights sleep, waking at\u00a0approximately 6am, after which the disrupted sleep pattern then returned. Further approaches\u00a0to his neighbours, by the subject, and by another occupant of the same dwelling also resulted\u00a0in a significant change in sleep pattern. Both occupants of the neighbouring premises stated\u00a0that they were asleep. The subject was completely unaware of any noise.<\/p>\n
A complaint was made to the local council, whose responsibility it is to investigate noise\u00a0nuisance within its area. A noise investigation was conducted by acousticians, and equipment\u00a0was supplied called a \u2018matron\u2019 box, which was equipped with a Digital Audio Tape\u00a0recorder, electronic time stamp device, external microphone and a push button. The subject\u00a0was instructed to press the button when woken, record the noise, and press the button again\u00a0to stop recording. This was done for one week, an acoustician returned to collect the equipment\u00a0and the log which the subject had made. Analysis of the recordings showed that the\u00a0equipment was operated correctly, but no noise was recorded on the equipment that suggested\u00a0it would cause sleep disturbance\/disruption.<\/p>\n
The subject used a standard VHS video recorder to record any noise in his bedroom all\u00a0through the night, and after listening to this recording the subject asked the acousticians to\u00a0return and identify one very specific noise. The acousticians also listened to the noise recorded\u00a0by the subject, they identified some of it as noise through a party wall, but dismissed\u00a0it due to its level, they then tested and measured the levels of several electrical switches in\u00a0the neighbouring premises. The subject clearly identified, after an audible comparison the\u00a0operation of an electrical switch, but this identification was ignored by the acousticians. It\u00a0was clearly stated that the noise levels measured from the operation of an electrical switched\u00a0socket in his neighbour\u2019s bedroom would not wake up a normal or average person (using\u00a0World Health Organisation Guidelines). They did not consider frequency content, nor duration.<\/p>\n
The situation subsequently got much worse, subjecting this person to three or four hours\u00a0sleep loss per night over a period of six months. A further noise investigation was conducted,\u00a0this time with noise level monitoring equipment in the neighbour\u2019s dwelling. The equipment\u00a0was placed in the neighbouring dwelling without the subject\u2019s knowledge, but he was asked\u00a0to continue to log his sleep disturbances. The subject\u2019s sleep loss totally disappeared, leaving\u00a0very mild disturbances of sleep each night. The equipment was removed, again without the\u00a0subject\u2019s knowledge and the three to four hours sleep loss per night returned.<\/p>\n
This paper aims to inform and remove the prejudice and stigma attached to people who suffer\u00a0such disturbances of sleep, and present a case for more research into this field by Chronobiologists\u00a0and Sleep Researchers, to establish problems such as these as environmental, instead\u00a0of medical.<\/p>\n
The Environmental Stimulus:<\/h2>\n
In the period prior to the subject\u2019s arousal, several pulses of noise were identified.\u00a0One of the noises (Fig. 1) was identified as being through a party wall, having a\u00a0duration of 250ms, and a frequency of 70Hz decaying to 55Hz, the amplitude could\u00a0not be established. A 70Hz waveform (Fig. 2) is shown for comparison.<\/p>\n
![\"fig1\"](\"http:\/\/themysterytosleep.me.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/fig1.jpg\" "\\"fig1\\"")
<\/a>Figure 1. 70Hz – 55Hz waveform, 250ms (a quarter of a second).<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Figure 2. 70Hz waveform.<\/p><\/div>\n
The second of the two noises (Fig. 3) was identified as the mechanical operation of\u00a0an electrical switch. The operation of this switch caused vibration to pass through\u00a0the structure of the building four metres from the sleeping position, and produce a\u00a0noise measuring 39.7 dB(A) at the sleeping position, with a duration of 50ms, and\u00a0complex frequency content ranging from 86Hz to 21kHz.<\/p>\n
The noise level was determined with the equipment supplied by the local council,\u00a0however the waveforms, frequency content and duration were all established from\u00a0the VHS video recordings the subject had made. The make and model of the video\u00a0recorder used was a Panasonic NV-HD 100 ideally suited because of its microphone\u00a0input and gain control. The subject was trying to establish the existence of noise and\u00a0its source, the noise levels were not his primary focus.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Figure 3. Electrical Switch, complex in waveform, and in frequency content 50ms (a twentieth of a second).<\/p><\/div>\n
These two noises will now be referred to as stimulus 1 (250ms noise) and stimulus 2\u00a0(50ms noise). To an untrained individual these noises may be considered as trivial,\u00a0however, everyone knows that noise does in fact wake a person from their sleep. An\u00a0alarm clock is the best example of this.\u00a0It must be made very clear that the noises recorded occurred anything up to 40\u00a0minutes prior to the subject waking from his sleep, he was therefore unaware of their\u00a0presence. How could these noises wake up the subject and what part of the brain do\u00a0they affect in order to accomplish this?<\/p>\n
The Circadian Rhythm:<\/h2>\n
In order to understand \u2018Entrainment\u2019 of the Circadian Rhythm you first have to\u00a0understand what exactly is the Circadian Rhythm. The Circadian Rhythm is a clock,\u00a0and because it is buried within the brain, it is called a \u2018Biological Clock\u2019.<\/p>\n
Our daily lives revolve around clocks, when to get up in a morning, when to set off\u00a0for work in order to miss rush hour traffic, the time you start work, the time you eat\u00a0lunch, the time you leave work. It would be difficult to understand a world without a\u00a0clock to govern where we should be and what we should be doing.<\/p>\n
The \u2018Circadian Rhythm\u2019 is an internal clock, governing the brain and body’s\u00a0activities, it can however be altered by the food you eat, the beverages you drink, the\u00a0air you breathe, the drugs you take (prescribed or otherwise), it is also altered by the\u00a0light\/dark cycle of a normal 24hr day.<\/p>\n
It may be of interest to know that the internal clock of an expectant mother is\u00a0different to that of her unborn child. When the child is born its internal clock is not\u00a0synchronised with its new environment, it therefore takes several months for the\u00a0child’s biological clock to entrain (synchronise) to its new environment. Its new\u00a0environment being that of the 24hr light\/dark cycle, however with darkness comes\u00a0the inevitable, bedtime, and with that silence.<\/p>\n
The field of Sleep Research states that noise changes the depth of sleep from deeper\u00a0to lighter levels of sleep, noise does therefore affect the \u2018Circadian Rhythm\u2019, it does\u00a0not satisfactorily describe what happens next.<\/p>\n
The field of Chronobiology does not specify noise as a stimulus that affects the\u00a0\u2018Circadian Rhythm\u2019, it does however state that pulses of stimuli that affect the\u00a0rhythm cause \u2018Phase Shifts\u2019 (changes to the free running rhythm).<\/p>\n
Entrainment is difficult to define because there are a vast array of stimuli that can\u00a0affect the \u2018Circadian Rhythm\u2019, however where sleep is concerned the subject\u2019s\u00a0rhythm and environment were synchronised (correctly entrained to the environment),\u00a0he would not take short naps during the day and he would sleep without interruption\u00a0during the night. When the subject\u2019s sleep disruption started his rhythm became\u00a0partially unsynchronised, due to the noise he was exposed to. Entrainment where\u00a0sleep is concerned can be defined as moving the \u2018Circadian Rhythm\u2019 from its free\u00a0running in constant dark conditions, where the person is unconscious to its free\u00a0running in constant dark conditions, where the person is conscious. The stimulus\u00a0used to do this would be noise.<\/p>\n
The \u2018Circadian Rhythm\u2019 can be altered by noise, noise is therefore a zeitgeber (from\u00a0the German for \u201ctimegiver\u201d) and it is this method of entrainment by noise that is of\u00a0interest, and the very important question, what is a \u2018Silent Night\u2019?<\/p>\n
When a person goes to sleep, they do not sleep at the same depth throughout their\u00a0slumber, the \u2018Circadian Rhythm\u2019 follows a set pattern. This pattern (Fig. 4) goes\u00a0from REM Sleep (Dreaming, and the lightest form of sleep), through stages 1, 2, 3, 4,\u00a0and then returns to stages 3, 2, 1, REM, this cycle is called an \u2018Ultradian Rhythm\u2019, it\u00a0is usually 90 to 100 minutes in duration and repeats several times throughout the\u00a0night. The longer the person is asleep more time is spent in REM Sleep, and less\u00a0time in stages 4, 3, and 2.<\/p>\n
The pattern of sleep shown in Figure 4 is very similar to that of the subject\u2019s prior to\u00a021st December 2000. The subject knew nothing else, he would sleep solidly each and\u00a0every night, waking to the sound of his radio alarm clock and remembering very\u00a0vivid dreams.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Figure 4. Part of the Circadian Rhythm in constant \u2018Dark\u2019 and \u2018Silent\u2019 conditions (free running).<\/p><\/div>\n
The path the \u2018Circadian Rhythm\u2019 takes, shown in Figure 5, is however somewhat\u00a0different. This is due to the pulses of discrete noise that occurred at 12:08am and\u00a012:15am whilst the subject was sleeping. These pulses of noise cause phase shifts to\u00a0the \u2018Circadian Rhythm\u2019 (small changes in the depth of sleep). Any individual who is\u00a0subjected to this noise would be completely unaware of the noise and completely\u00a0unaware that their sleep pattern has been altered.<\/p>\n
Pulses of noise similar to stimulus 1 (250ms noise) and stimulus 2 (50ms noise)\u00a0would be dismissed by an untrained individual, as would recording the noise and\u00a0playing it back.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Figure 5. Part of the Circadian Rhythm, showing discrete noise events occurring at 12:08am, and 12:15am, the subject will wake at approx 12:27am.<\/p><\/div>\n
Further intrusions of discrete noise into the sleeping environment (Fig. 6) will result\u00a0in the rhythm crossing the threshold of sleep several times throughout the night.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Figure 6. Showing multiple intrusions of discrete noise, the subject would wake several times throughout his sleep and was completely unaware of any noise.<\/p><\/div>\n
It should now be clear that the pulses of noise that intruded into the subject\u2019s sleeping\u00a0environment altered his sleep pattern (Circadian Rhythm) causing recurrent states of consciousness.\u00a0 In the profession of psychiatry this is called \u2018Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorder\u2019.\u00a0 An environmental noise nuisance is called a disorder.<\/p>\n
The sleep pattern shown in Figure 7 is a very clear representation of what the subject had to suffer over a period of six months, after the first noise investigation was concluded.\u00a0 The health of the subject suffered incredibly. In the profession of psychiatry this is called \u2018A Sleep Disorder to indicate a General Medical Condition\u2019. An environmental noise nuisance would then be medicated by a psychiatrist, without the patient ever knowing the underlying cause of the problem.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Figure 7. When the activity from neighbouring premises increases, the number of discrete noise events also increases, each noise is cumulative when it occurs within the same Ultradian Rhythm, ie it acts on the affect from the previous noise event.<\/p><\/div>\n
The subject\u2019s Circadian Rhythm has been successfully entrained into the dark environment where he is fully conscious and completely unsynchronised with what would be normally expected.<\/p>\n
A very clear correlation can now be established between the following:<\/p>\n
a) Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorder
\nb) Entrainment of the Circadian Rhythm<\/p>\n
There is one further correlation which also needs to be considered at this time, that is current UK Legislation on noise nuisance which defines a nuisance as \u2018noise emitted from premises so as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance\u2019.<\/p>\n
During the second noise nuisance investigation the subject slept considerably better and was then subjected to more sleep loss (10 hours sleep loss in just three nights). The psychological stress placed upon the subject by having his sleep returned to him and then removed again, with no explanation as to why were far too great and the consequences too horrifying to describe.<\/p>\n
On the 22nd December 2002, twelve days after the second noise nuisance investigation concluded, the subject\u2019s sleep loss vanished, leaving very mild disturbances of sleep. These disturbances of sleep were so mild that each time the subject woke he remembered a dream.\u00a0 In the field of Sleep Research this is called\u00a0\u2018REM Rebound\u2019 and it happens when the perturbing factor, in this case the noise from the subject\u2019s neighbours, is removed.<\/p>\n
The Circadian Rhythm synchronises to its environment.\u00a0 The noise which was intruding into the subject\u2019s sleeping environment was altering the subject\u2019s internal clock in the same way that an alarm clock is designed to.<\/p>\n
In order to better understand the Circadian Rhythm it must be established which of the two noises, identified early as stimulus 1 (250ms noise) and stimulus 2 (50ms noise), alters the internal clock and that very important question what is a \u2018Silent Night\u2019? must be answered.<\/p>\n
The K-Complex and K-Alpha:<\/h2>\n
The terms \u2018K-Complex\u2019 and \u2018K-Alpha\u2019 are not chronobiological terms, they are in fact sleep research terms which have a very strong association to this case and therefore must be covered.\u00a0 The sleep pattern with the stages of sleep are shown in Figure 8.\u00a0 Whilst the subject was sleeping and progressing through the stages of sleep the subject\u2019s brainwaves (EEG waves) also changed.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Figure 8. Sleep stages and brainwave activity within those stages.<\/p><\/div>\n
Brainwaves can only be monitored by means of an electroencephalograph (EEG), however brainwaves can be altered by noise.\u00a0 A \u2018K-Complex\u2019 is a sharp change in brainwave activity and is caused particular by auditory stimuli.<\/p>\n
The subject described himself as being woken up in a very strange way, he would wake up with his eyes still shut.\u00a0 This could also be described as \u2018a twinkling of an eye\u2019. A \u2018K Alpha\u2019 is a K-Complex followed by \u2018Alpha\u2019 brainwave activity ie the subject is in a relaxed awake condition with his eyes closed, it therefore follows that in order for a \u2018K-Alpha\u2019 to exist two very distinctive noises must be present in the sleeping environment.\u00a0 One of the noises must evoke changes in brainwave activity causing a \u2018K-Complex\u2019 and the other noise must change the depth of sleep.<\/p>\n
It is very important to determine which of the two noises, stimulus 1 (250ms noise) and stimulus 2 (50ms noise) caused which affect.\u00a0 In order to establish this the environment that the subject slept in needs to be examined, shown in Figure 9.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Figure 9. The subject\u2019s bedroom and furniture.<\/p><\/div>\n
The environment that the subject slept in was very comfortable for the subject, his bedroom being at the rear of the dwelling.\u00a0 The electrical items that were in his bedroom were all switched off whilst he was sleeping, except two.\u00a0 These two being his radio alarm clock and his video recorder.\u00a0 The video recorder could be programmed to record in the middle of the night, it would start, record, and stop without ever waking the subject.<\/p>\n
The bedroom window would be open at night through the summer months and the subject\u2019s sleep was not disrupted even though the traffic from the main road at the front of the dwelling could be heard.\u00a0 In the winter months the window would be closed at night, however neither the rain on the window nor the wind would disrupt the subject\u2019s sleep.<\/p>\n
The subject\u2019s own bedroom was comfortable and suitable for sleeping in, Figure 10 shows the relationship between the subject\u2019s bedroom and his neighbours bedroom.<\/p>\n
Whilst the subject and his neighbours were on reasonable terms a discussion took place between them.\u00a0 The neighbour pointed out several electrical sockets that were not working, they were all charred and scorched on their face plates, electrical socket B in Figure 10 is one of these.\u00a0 The neighbour then proceeded to explain and point out an electrical heater, the cable of which got \u2018very hot\u2019 when in use.\u00a0 It can only be assumed that the electrical heater was in fact faulty, this was then used in electrical sockets until the socket was damaged and would no longer work, at which point the\u00a0electrical heater was used in another electrical socket.\u00a0 Electrical socket A was in fact the only electrical socket working on this floor in the neighbours dwelling.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Figure 10.<\/p><\/div>\n
The Local Council measured the noise level in the subject\u2019s bedroom whilst electrical socket A was operated, noise did in fact come through into the subject\u2019s bedroom, however the acousticians determined that it was not loud enough to disturb the sleep of a normal or average person and duly informed the neighbours of this.<\/p>\n
Shortly after the Local Council had walked away from a very serious problem the subject took a very radical step.\u00a0 The subject knew that in some way his neighbours activities were waking him up, he knew that the electrical switch was being used in the middle of the night and that his awakenings were connected to this switch.\u00a0 The very radial step that the subject took was to remove clothes from three draws and half the clothes from his wardrobe and pile them up against the chimney breast and wall.<\/p>\n
There was an immediate change to the subject\u2019s sleep, he would still wake up, but\u00a0was not woken as severely as before.\u00a0 There was also another very distinctive change, he was no longer woken with his eyes closed.\u00a0 It can therefore be determined that the pile of clothes successfully blocked the noise that occurred when the electrical switch was operated.\u00a0 Stimulus 2 (50ms noise) was responsible for causing a \u2018K-Complex\u2019.<\/p>\n
The conclusion that stimulus 2 (50ms noise) measuring 39.7dB(A) caused a sharp\u00a0change in brainwave activity leaves a perplexing situation.\u00a0 It therefore means that stimulus 1 (250ms noise) which was in fact quieter, is the noise responsible for changing the depth of sleep (causing a phase shift).<\/p>\n
The manner in which the noise was assessed by the Local Council must therefore be incorrect, and relying on the amplitude of a noise to determine the existence of a nuisance is scientifically flawed.<\/p>\n
In order for the subject to sleep uninterrupted throughout the night, the sleeping environment must be absent of any noise which can be established as meeting the criteria of a zeitgeber (time giver).\u00a0 This defines in chronobiological terms a \u2018Silent\u00a0Night\u2019.<\/p>\n
Scientific Summary<\/h2>\n
The pulses of discrete noise which intrude into a person\u2019s sleeping environment will disrupt that individual\u2019s Circadian Rhythm, thereby altering their depth of sleep. The person will wake, but when they wake is dependent on how much the noise altered their Circadian Rhythm and how much of the Ultradian Rhythm cycle remains.<\/p>\n
The environmental health officers who investigated this case are acousticians. They assessed the impact of noise on the Circadian Rhythm, which is a biological mechanism outside of the acoustician\u2019s discipline. The law did not require them to (specifically or consequentially) assess the impact of noise on a human being, but, in this case they did, with the result that they destroyed the physical and mental health of a human being.<\/p>\n
The noise which caused sleep disruption in this case was emitted from neighbouring premises. All of the subject\u2019s family instinctively knew how to act in the middle of the night when others were sleeping, like closing doors extremely quietly, or treading on the floor quietly.<\/p>\n
Sleep disruption in other families may not, of course, be caused by neighbours. It might just as easily be caused by individuals in the same household.<\/p>\n
A Silent Night:<\/h2>\n
There are however historical and theological aspects to defining a \u2018Silent Night\u2019 and these also need to be covered to fully comprehend the situation.<\/p>\n
There are many variations to the hymn ‘Silent Night’, one of those is:<\/p>\n
Silent Night! Holy Night!
\nDarkness Flies! All is light!<\/p>\n
This, at first thought, may seem like a trivial association. However, darkness did indeed fly for the subject each and every night until 21st<\/sup> December 2000. There are, furthermore, additional significant associations.<\/p>\n The subject states \u201cI committed a sin of the flesh on the 6th<\/span><\/sup> January 2001\u201d. This statement brings into focus two very significant theological associations.<\/p>\n The subject would not go in to detail regarding what he meant by ‘a sin of the flesh’. However, he did state that it met the criteria of what was described in the Holy Bible, King James Version, 1 Corinthians 6.<\/p>\n The second significant association is the date, 6th<\/sup> January, which is the Epiphany: an ancient Christian feast day celebrating when God revealed himself to the world through the re-incarnation of Jesus.<\/p>\n The sinful act, and the date on which the subject committed that sinful act both have very significant historical and theological associations. Are these the only two associations or are there more?<\/p>\n The subjects sleep disruption started on 21st<\/sup> December 2000. Do these two, the sleep disruption and the date, also have theological significance?<\/p>\n We are all taught from an early age that our actions have consequences. The subject believes that the sleep disruption that started on 21st<\/sup> December 2000 is a divine punishment for the sin of the flesh that he committed on 6th<\/sup> January 2001. This belief would put the consequence before the act. It is therefore necessary to establish if the sleep disruption and the date on which it started have any theological association.<\/p>\n In the Holy Bible (King James Version), 1 Corinthians 15:31 states \u201cI die daily\u201d. The subject did indeed die daily, without any disruption to his sleep and awoke to righteousness, because he had not sinned. It is also important to bring into focus other parts of the Holy Bible, like 1 Corinthians 15:56 where \u201cthe sting of death is sin\u201d. If the same interpretation is applied to this, then the statement becomes the \u2018sting of sleep is sin\u2019, this supports the subject\u2019s belief that his sleep disruption is punishment for the sin which he committed.<\/p>\n The subject\u2019s sleep disruption started on 21st<\/sup> December 2000, and there does not seem to be any association with this date until you look deeper and farther back in history. The 21st<\/sup> December has significance in the Mayan long count calendar with the prophecies of a new spiritually enlightened era beginning in 2012. There is, therefore, clearly a most definite association with this date.<\/p>\n Acts 1:11 who also said, \u201cMen of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.\u201d Analysing this must take into account the second meaning of heaven. The subject died and went to heaven every night meeting the criteria stipulated in Acts 1:11<\/p>\n In this case the subject believes that his sleep disruption is punishment for the sin which he committed, and there is strong evidence to support this, with associations in the Holy Bible.<\/p>\n The subject also believes that any person that currently sleeps without disruption will have their sleep disrupted by noise shortly before they commit a sin of the flesh in any of its unprotected forms.<\/p>\n This perfect and divine punishment exploits ignorance, as it is a situation where the punishment starts before<\/strong> the sinful act, and the person is unaware of any noise.<\/p>\n Did you sleep through the night, and without any disruption to your sleep? The proof of re-incarnation, the subject has met the stipulated criteria documented in the Holy Bible and is the re-incarnation of Jesus Christ!<\/p>\n This article is about entrainment of the Circadian Rhythm of a normal healthy adult male in\u00a0constant dark conditions using discrete noise as an environmental stimulus (zeitgeber). Case Study: A normal healthy adult male, living in the same dwelling for more … Continue reading Theological Summary<\/h2>\n
\nOr conversely, when did your sleep disruption start?
\nWhen did you commit a sin of the flesh?
\nIt is a belief which has been explored, and which can be proven by any teenager or young adult in this age of sexual promiscuity.<\/p>\n