FEATURES OF SUBJECTIVE QUALITY OF SLEEP

Abstract

The article describes the features of the subjective quality of sleep. The quality of sleep is important element of humans’ well-being, which can be measured in quantity and quality components. These components may include not only the length and depth of sleep, but also feelings and sensations during and after awake.

The author analyses theoretical approaches of sleep disorders and defines factors which may cause them. The main factors which are discussed in the article are: somatic, psychological, emotional, cognitive and behavioral. All these factors influence on the quality of sleep in different ways – not only by their content and directionality, but also by the way individual reacts on them. For example, insomnia as a psychological factor may cause sleep disorder by increasing individual’s anxiety about sleep. Individual’s representations and be- liefs about its own sleep play important role in experiencing the subjective quality of sleep.

Understanding and experiencing the sleep quality can effect on interoception of people with different diagnoses. Interoceptive sensations – are the way person understands and explains his internal organs and feelings. But it’s not only about the feelings about the body; it’s also about the way person defines, responds and interprets his feelings. That is why, the author also presents the model of the subjective quality of sleep, which contains of psychological factors and types of interoceptive sensitivity. Author claims that psychological factors can influence on subjective quality of sleep both in positive and in negative way. Presented model makes is the basis for future investigation of the subjective quality of sleep, and will allow to work with it by balancing the interoseptive sensitivities by reducing or increasing its experiencing, depending on how the particular type will be interconnected with person’s self-esteem about the quality of their own sleep.