Participation

We are not actively recruting for projects at the moment.

FAQ

What happens in a typical study?

There is considerable variety in our studies, but studies involving sleep monitoring often follow a typical pattern. After arriving on the 2nd floor of the Main Administrative Building of the University of Lincoln, you will be met by the researcher, who will take you to the Sac lab. You will then be told about the experiment, and given something to read which describes what will happen in more detail, and asked to give your consent to taking part. If there are behavioural tasks for you to perform as part of the study, these will most typically follow at this point, though occasionally we might ask you to do them at a later point in the process. We will then attach some small flat electrodes to your head with a combination of a harmless mildly adhesive electrogel and medical tape. The gel will wash out afterwards without requiring any special products or effort. Once all of the electrodes have been attached, we will ask you to get into bed and when you are comfortable we will turn the lights out. Following your sleep (either overnight or an afternoon nap), we will wake you at a pre-agreed time, and help you remove the electrodes. If there are final behavioural tasks to perform, we will ask you to perform them at that point. You will then be told in more detail what the experiment was about, asked if you still agree for us to use your data, and then you will have finished.

 

What if I am unable to sleep?

Many people feel that they will unable to sleep with electrodes attached, or even just in an unfamiliar environment such as a sleep laboratory. While this is entirely understandable, in our experience the vast majority of participants sleep quite well, even in afternoon naps. If you are one of the relatively rare people who really cannot sleep in that situation, this will not affect your participation in the study or any agreed reward, though it may mean that we cannot include your data in our final analysis.

 

I am coming for an overnight study. What should I bring with me?

– Nightclothes. These should be comfortable and modest. You will usually be asked to change into your nightwear prior to being wired-up.
– A change of clothes. This is to prepare you for the coming day. Some participants instead prefer to change back into their old clothes and go home and change in the morning before starting work; that is also perfectly fine.
– Toiletries and make-up. If possible, we would prefer you to remove existing make-up prior to arrival in the evening. If you wish to put on make-up the following morning, you are welcome to do so and should bring with you whatever you need.
– Medications. Yous should any medications that you need to take first thing in the morning.
– Something to read. Sometimes there are delays during the wire-up or in between parts of the experiment, and it is worth having something to read in case this occurs.
– Any special night-time extras, such as favourites pillows, teddy-bears etc.! These are all fine (provided they are not too large; we have only a single bed), and you are welcome to bring them if you think they will help you to sleep.

 

I feel nervous about sleeping overnight in the university. Is it safe?

The SaC lab is located in the Main Administrative Building of the University of Lincoln. This building has 24/7 security, including security guards patrolling the building and the surrounding campus. In addition, the SaC lab is located on the 2nd-floor in a secure area which requires swipe card to enter, and the lab itself will be locked requiring a further key. Finally, a fully trained experimenter will be present in the control room (in between you and the outside corridor) throughout the night, so you will be perfectly safe.

 

Can I bring a friend with me?

If you would feel more comfortable having a friend accompany you and staying while we prepare you for the sleep monitoring, that is absolutely fine. We do not, however, have any place that your friend can sleep, so they will not be able to stay overnight with you, and we will ask them to leave at lights out. They can return first thing in the morning if you would like them to.

 

What if I need to go to the bathroom during the night?

The polysomnography system can be detached and made portable without removing the electrodes. You will be shown how to do this prior to going to sleep, but the experimenter will also help you with this should you need to do it during the night. You can then wear the system around your neck when you go to the bathroom, and after you return it can be reattached to continue the recording.

 

I am coming for a nap study during the afternoon. What should I bring with me?

  • Comfortable clothes (can be worn). If you want to bring and change into nightwear, that would be perfectly fine, but most of our nap study participants prefer to wear light and comfortable clothes when they attend, in which they can sleep without needing to change.
  • Make-up and make-up remover. Depending on the level and location of your make-up, we may ask you to remove it in order to be able to obtain a good signal.
  • Something to read. Sometimes there are delays during the wire-up or in between parts of the experiment, and it is worth having something to read in case this occurs.

 

Should I do anything in preparation for a study?

  • Please refrain from consuming any product containing caffeine, any alcohol and any other psychoactive substance during the 12 hours preceding your appointment, and throughout your participation. This is very important.
  • Please do not significantly alter your sleep pattern in anticipation of the study, i.e. do not get up earlier/later than you usually would.
  • If convenient, please remove any make-up prior to attending your appointment. This guarantees that we will not have to ask you to do this partway through the study.
  • Please try to avoid applying hair conditioner or any gel or lotion to your head on the day of the study.
  • Please remove any earrings, or bring something to store your earrings as we will ask you to remove them during the study if you are wearing them.
  • Please remove any form of hairpiece (wig/toupee/extensions) prior to attending, as we cannot attach the electrodes while you are wearing these.
  • If your study starts around lunchtime (as many of our napping studies do), please try to have an early lunch before attending, unless the experimenter has specifically asked you not to.

13 Comments

pharmacopathy January 17, 2024 Reply

“Fascinating insights into sleep paralysis! This well-crafted article delves into the types, causes, symptoms, and medications associated with this phenomenon. For those seeking a more in-depth understanding and comprehensive information on sleep paralysis, I highly recommend exploring this insightful piece: [ https://pharmacopathy.com/sleep-paralysis-types-causes-symptoms-and-medications/ ]. It serves as a valuable resource, offering clarity and guidance on a topic that many find intriguing yet puzzling.

Mariana Wilson January 19, 2023 Reply

I am very interested in dreams studies, especially lucid dreaming. Dreams play a big part in my life – I find them really fascinating. I have been exploring / experimenting with dreams for as long as I can remember. I have vivid dreams and lucid dreams on a regular basis. I have developed my own method of telling when I’m in a dream, which I apply regularly and without fail. I would very much like to be considered for any future research in this area.

Simon Durrant January 30, 2023

Thanks Mariana. Lucid dreaming can certainly be an interesting experience. If we run any studies on it in future I’ll definitely be in touch.

Pauline December 31, 2022 Reply

I am 76 and have had dreadful insomnia for years, I’ve had psychological/ hypnotherapy help to deal with abandonment in childhood. Not having a strong foundation has caused me many problems, I have now worked through these problems but have forgotten how to sleep. For 4 days I have been restricting my sleep going to bed at 2am getting up 8am leaving the bedroom every half-hour when I’m not asleep, staying out of the bedroom for 30 minutes at a time how long might this take to start sleeping. I am so exhausted – I don’t mind doing this but how long might it be before it improves, I get quite frightened thinking I’m not going to sleep properly again. Can you suggest anything please

Simon Durrant January 9, 2023

Sleep restriction therapy is a good starting point and eventually it will get to the point where you can’t stay awake at 2am, but that can take several weeks sometimes. Restriction therapy is actually one of the components of a broader type of therapy called Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBTi). Given the origins of your sleep problems and the proven effectiveness of CBTi, it sounds like you would definitely benefit from that. It can be delivered either in-person from a therapist or online via an approved course. One of those – Sleepio – has recently been approved for NHS use, so in principal your GP could prescribe that (otherwise you can sign-up privately but I believe it has a subscription cost which the NHS would meet if prescribed). Definitely talk to your GP about getting some CBTi and I’m sure it will be possible to get you sleeping properly again.

Jeanette Millward October 6, 2022 Reply

Hello

I appear to be a very loud snorer so much so that I think I am waking myself up several times through the night.

If you have a research programme for this I would like to be considered.

Simon Durrant October 7, 2022

Hi Jeanette,

Thanks for your interest. We’re not running studies in this area at present, but I’ll certainly keep you in mind if we do one in the future. Meanwhile, if you believe you’re a loud snorer and you’re waking several times each night, it might be worth asking for a referral to a sleep clinic (through your GP) to see if you’re suffering from sleep apnoea. That is very common but can also be very disruptive of sleep and worth treating if you do have it.

Kind regards,

Simon

Beth H March 24, 2022 Reply

Hi. Do you have any research on ADHD and it’s impact on sleep?

Simon Durrant March 26, 2022

Hi Beth, not at present. We are developing a project in this area, however, so check back periodically to see if we have an update. Kind regards, Simon

MRS MARGARET PERRY September 21, 2021 Reply

How and why does insomnia increase depression.
What can I do to weaken depression and get a good night’s sleep?
TIA

Simon Durrant September 30, 2021

That’s a good question, Margaret. Insomnia can increase symptoms of depression in several ways. Lying awake unable to get to sleep often leads to rumination, which itself is associated with depression. In that case, it is often better to invoke the 20-minute rule – if you’re not asleep after 20 minutes then get up and do something such as read a book, for at least half an hour or until you find yourself falling asleep. The loss of deep sleep associated with insomnia can lead to significantly increased daytime fatigue, which itself exacerbates low mood. In that case, keeping up daytime energy with sufficient exercise and a good diet will help; caffeine in small doses may also help with both the fatigue and the mood to a limited extent. Both the depression and the insomnia are worth seeking treatment for – therapy and/or medication – as they tend to mutually reinforce each other. By tacking both together, you will hopefully be able to overcome them and have a higher quality of life. Your GP is probably the first port of call for that.

Karen July 28, 2021 Reply

I wake every hour or so throughout the night. I am very tired during the day to the point of struggling to stay conscious. I have very vivid dreams. I have RLS. I used to suffer with sleep paralysis. I feel I would be ideal for sleep study and need help to find out why my sleep is disturb. I live a few miles from Lincoln. I desperately need help.

Simon Durrant September 16, 2021

Thanks Karen. I’m sorry to hear about your sleep difficulties. We do not currently have a research study in that area, but if we start one I will certainly let you know, as you would be ideal. Meanwhile, I would certainly suggest a trip to your GP for a possible clinical referral if s/he thinks that would be appropriate.

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