Development of sleep during monotonous stimulation as related to individual differences

This study was designed to examine whether the sleep-promoting effect of monotonous stimulation depends on individual differences in strength of the nervous system, as was suggested by Pavlov. Sixty male subjects were divided into three groups, depending on their score on the “strength of excitation” scale of the Strelau Temperament Inventory. Within each group, subjects were randomly assigned to be exposed to either a) a sequence of tones or b) “no tones” (i.e., a quiet room). Dependent variables were latencies to Sleep Stage 1 (SOL 1) and Sleep Stage 2 (SOL 2). The main effects of stimulation and strength of the nervous system were not statistically significant. However, there was a significant interaction between stimulation and strength for both dependent variables. “Weak” subjects tended to fall asleep more rapidly during monotonous stimulation, whereas the reverse was true of “strong” subjects. The results suggest that individual differences might play an important role in the development of sleep during monotonous stimulation.