Table 1 The percentage and number of correct answers for each question in the ASKME questionnaire given to medical students

1

The need for sleep decreases in persons above 50 years of age.

2

Melatonin is a natural body hormone that typically increases during nighttime hours.

3

More dream sleep (REM) occurs in the second half of the night.

4

Sleeping longer on weekends is recommended as a regular practice to make up for loss of sleep during the work week.

5

Newborn infants spend approximately 16—18 hours per 24-hour period sleeping.

6

The report of insomnia is twice as common in older men than in older women.

7

A young (pre-adolescent) child who regularly has trouble getting to sleep at night should be allowed to sleep later in the morning.

8

The typical age of symptom onset for narcolepsy is 40 years or older.

9

The ability to sleep increases in persons above 50 years of age.

10

Slow-wave sleep is more prominent in the second half of the night.

11

The amount of slow-wave sleep increases in persons above 50 years of age.

12

Episodes of sleepwalking tend to occur in the last third of the night.

13

Episodes of REM sleep tend to lengthen throughout the night.

14

Periodic limb movements during sleep are typically decreased in REM sleep.

15

Hyperactivity in children can be exacerbated by inadequate sleep.

16

In alcoholics in recovery, sleep normalizes within one month of alcohol abstention.

17

Daytime napping is recommended for patients with difficulty initiating sleep.

18

Weight loss is often indicated in the treatment of primary snoring or mild obstructive sleep apnea.

19

Slow-wave sleep is enhanced following daytime exercise.

20

Children who are chronic bedwetters respond to treatment with anticholinergic drugs.

21

Nightmares are more common within the first two hours of sleep.

22

Heart rate, respiration and blood pressure are more variable during REM sleep compared with non-REM sleep.

23

Antihypertensive drugs (e.g., beta-blockers) may cause sleeping difficulties as a side effect.

24

Early morning awakenings in the elderly are often associated with changes in the timing of their biological rhythms.

25

Alcohol can be beneficial in reducing the effects of jet lag.

26

Nightshift workers are more likely to fall asleep on the job compared with employees with regular, daytime hours.

27

Sleepwalking episodes commonly occur during REM sleep.

28

Menopausal women are at higher risk for developing symptoms of sleep apnea compared with pre-menopausal women.

29

Irregular sleep scheduling can increase the incidence of sleepwalking in children.

30

Symptoms of narcolepsy are related to seizure activity in the brain.