title: Time estimation in good and poor sleepers.
abstract: Time estimation was examined in 148 older good and poor sleepers in analogue and naturalistic sleep settings. On analogue tasks, both "empty" time and time listening to an audiobook were overestimated by both good and poor sleepers. There were no differences between groups. "Empty" time was experienced as "dragging." In the sleep setting, most poor sleepers underestimated nocturnal sleep and overestimated awake times related to their own sleep problem: sleep onset vs. sleep maintenance insomnia. Good sleepers did the opposite. Severity of sleep problem and size of time estimation errors were unrelated. Greater night-to-night wake time variability was experienced by poor than by good sleepers. Psychological adjustment was unrelated to time estimations and to magnification or minimization of sleep problems. The results suggest that for poor sleepers who magnify their sleep problem, self-monitoring can be of benefit by demonstrating that the sleep problem is not as severe as believed.
authors.affiliation: S.M.B.D. Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Canada. catherine.fichten@mcgill.ca
authors.forename: Catherine S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Fichten
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Creti
authors.forename: Rhonda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Amsel
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bailes
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Libman
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D035841:Behavioral Research; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D010469:Perceptual Distortion; D012890:Sleep; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013998:Time Perception