Evaluation of saliva melatonin dynamics during the period of morning awakening and its clinical significance in the postpartum mothers

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K12340
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Lifelong developmental nursing
• Research Institution: Akita University
• Principal Investigator: Kodama Hideya 秋田大学, 医学系研究科, 教授 (30195747)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 篠原 ひとみ 秋田大学, 医学系研究科, 教授 (80319996)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 産褥婦 / 概日リズム / メラトニン / 育児ストレス / 睡眠障害 / 産後うつ病

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to determine whether the condition in which morning awakening was not synchronized with the phase of melatonin decrease　was associated with increased mental stress in postpartum mothers. For 101 healthy mothers one month after delivery, acceleration and illuminance data of nocturnal sleep were collected by actigraphy, and saliva melatonin concentration was measured at waking and 30 minutes after waking for 3 consecutive days. The mothers' mental stress was evaluated by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). According to the melatonin dynamics during the awakening period, the habitual position of the phase of melatonin decease at awakening was estimated in each mother. As a result, mothers whose waking was receded with a phase of melatonin decrease demonstrated higher EPDS, indicating increased mental stress in the mothers.

Free Research Field

母性看護学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、朝の覚醒が生体時計（メラトニンの減少の位相）よりも後退している産後の母親では、心的ストレスが増大していることを初めて明らかにした独創的な報告である。早朝30分後のメラトニン値が高い母親に対し、光環境の調整や人工的に強い光を浴びる光療法が、生体時計の機能を正常化し、心的ストレスの軽減をもたらす可能性が示唆された。この知見は、産後の女性の心的ストレス軽減に向けた合理的な介入方法の確立につながると考えられる。