Effect of auricular therapy on the learning context and the sleep of the college student

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K14388
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 10020:Educational psychology-related
• Research Institution: Teikyo Heisei University
• Principal Investigator: WAKI Hideaki 帝京平成大学, ヒューマンケア学部, 助教 (50807899)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 経皮的迷走神経刺激（taVNS） / 眠気 / 抑うつ / 学習意欲 / 自律神経

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Daytime sleepiness is reportedly associated with depression and poor academic performance. This study aimed to examine the effect of self-care using transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) in college students with sleepiness and depression. Thirty-four college students were assigned to a control or taVNS group. Daytime sleepiness, depression, study engagement, and sleep quality were measured using the ESS-J, BDI-II-J, UWES-S-J, PSQI-J, and Silmee. Autonomic nervous system activities were measured using heart rate variability. The change in each group from day 28 to day 1 was calculated and analyzed. The ESS-J, BDI-II-J, UWES-S-J, and PSQI-J (sleep quality and daytime dysfunction) scores improved, and the LF/HF ratio (sympathetic nervous system) decreased in the taVNS group compared with the control group. Self-care using taVNS suppresses the sympathetic nervous system during sleep, which may improve sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, depression, and study engagement.

Free Research Field

医歯薬学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

研究成果の学術的意義は、28日間のtaVNSが睡眠中の交感神経機能の抑制によって日中の眠気や学習意欲を改善させること、taVNSが大学生の眠気に対するセルフケアとして有効な可能性を示せたことがあげられる。本邦の大学生で眠気を有する大学生は82%と非常に多く、問題視されている。本研究において、taVNSを用いたセルフケアが大学生における日中の眠気を改善させることを報告できたことは、大学生の眠気に対するセルフケアの確立に向けた一助となるため社会的意義がある。