Skip to main content
Log in

Time Estimation in Good and Poor Sleepers

  • Published:
Journal of Behavioral Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

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.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  • Belleville, G., and Morin, C. M. (2002). Are insomniacs poor judges of time? Retrospective and prospective estimates of time intervals in insomniacs and good sleepers. Sleep 25: Abstract Supplement.

  • Bailes, S., Baltzan, M., Alapin, I., Fichten, C. S., and Libman, E. (in press). Diagnostic indicators of sleep apnea in older women and men: A prospective study, Journal of Psychosomatic Research.

  • Bonnet, M. H. (1990). The perception of sleep onset in insomniacs and normal sleepers. In Bootzin, R. R., Kihlstrom, J. F., and Schacter, D. L. (Eds.), Sleep and cognition, American Psychological Association, Washington, pp. 149–157.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonnet, H. M., and Arand, D. (1997). Hyperarousal and insomnia: A review article. Sleep Med. Rev. 1(2): 97–108.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bonnet, H. M., and Arand, D. (1998). Heart rate variability in insomniacs and matched normal sleepers. Psychosom. Med. 60: 610–615.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Borkovec, T. D. (1982). Insomnia. J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 50(6): 880–895.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Borkovec, T. D., and Henning, B. L. (1978). The role of physiological attention focusing in the relaxation treatment of sleep disturbance, general tension, and specific stress reaction. Behav. Res. Ther. 16: 7–19.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Borkovec, T. D., Lane, T. W., and Van Oot, P. H. (1981). Short report: Phenomenology of sleep among insomniacs and good sleepers: Wakefulness experience when cortically asleep. J. Abnorm. Psychol. 90(6): 607–609.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coates, T. J., Killen, J. D., Silverman, S., George, J., Marchini, E., Hamilton, S., and Thoresen, C. E. (1983). Cognitive activity, sleep disturbance, and stage specific differences between recorded and reported sleep. Psychophysiology 20: 243–250.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coren, S., and Ward, L. M. (1989). Sensation and perception. In CorenS., and Ward, L. M. (Eds.), Sensation and perception, 3rd ed., Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Toronto, pp. 371–389.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coursey, R. D., Buchsbaum, M., and Frankel, B. L. (1975). Personality measures and evoked responses in chronic insomniacs. J. Abnorm. Psychol. 84(3): 239–249.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Currie, S., Malhotra, S., and Clark, S. (2003). Agreement among subjective, objective and collateral measures of insomnia in recovering alcoholics. Presentation at the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy (AABT) Conference, Boston.

  • De Souza, L., Benedito-Silva, A., Nogueira Pires, M., Poyares, D., Tufik, S., and Calil, M. H. (2003). Further validation of actigraphy for sleep studies. Sleep 26: 81–85.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Edinger, J. D., and Fins, A. I. (1995). The distribution and clinical significance of sleeptime misperceptions among insomniacs. Sleep 18: 232–239.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Edinger, J. D., and Krystal, A. D. (2003). Subtyping primary insomnia: Is sleep state misperception a distinct clinical entity? Sleep Med. Rev. 7(3): 203–214.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fichten, C. S., Creti, L., Amsel, R., Brender, W., Weinstein, N., and Libman, E. (1995). Poor sleepers who do not complain of insomnia: Myths and realities about psychological and lifestyle characteristics of older good and poor sleepers. J. Behav. Med. 18(2): 189–223.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fichten, C. S., Libman, E., Bailes, S., and Alapin, I. (2000). Characteristics of older adults with insomnia. In Lichstein, K. L. and Morin, C. M. (Eds.), Treatment of late life insomnia, Sage, NY, pp. 37–80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fichten, C. S., Libman, E., Creti, L., Amsel, R., Sabourin, S., Brender, W., and Bailes, S. (2001). Role of thoughts during nocturnal awake times in the insomnia experience of older adults. Cognitive Ther. Res. 25(6): 665–692.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fichten, C. S., Libman, E., Creti, L., Amsel, R., Tagalakis, V., and Brender, W. (1998). Thoughts during awake times in older good and poor sleepers—The self-statement test:60+. Cognitive Ther. Res. 22(1): 1–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fraisse, P. (1984). Perception and estimation of time. Am. Rev. Psychol. 35: 1–36.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frankel, B. L., Coursey, R. D., Buchbinder, R., and Snyder, F. (1976). Recorded and reported sleep in chronic primary insomnia. Arch. Gen. Psychiat. 33: 615–623.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gupta, S., and Cummings, L. L. (1986). Perceived speed of time and task affect. Percept. Motor Skills 63(2), 971–980.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hauri, P., and Olmstead, E. (1983). What is the moment of sleep onset for insomniacs? Sleep 6(11): 10–15.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Häkkänen, J., and Summala, H. (2000). Sleepiness at work among commercial truck drivers. Sleep 23: 49–57.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Harvey, A. G. (2002). A cognitive model of insomnia. Behav. Res. Ther. 40: 869–982.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hawkins, M. F., and Tedford, A. H. (1976). Effects of interest and relatedness on estimated duration of verbal material. Bull. Psychonom. Soc. 8: 301–302.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hawkins, W. L., French, L. C., Crawford, D. B., and Engle, M. E. (1988). Depressed affect and time perception. J. Abnorm. Psychol. 97: 275–280.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lacks, P. (1987). Behavioral treatment for persistent insomnia. Pergamon Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lacks, P. (1988). Daily sleep diary. In M. Hersen and A. S. Bellack (Eds.), Dictionary of behavioral assessment techniques, Pergamon, New York, pp. 162–164.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lacks, P. (1988). Daily sleep diary. In M. Hersen and A. S. Bellack (Eds.), Dictionary of behavioral assessment techniques, Pergamon, New York, pp. 162–164.

    Google Scholar 

  • Libman, E., Fichten, C. S., Weinstein, N., Tagalakis, V., Amsel, R., Brender, W., and Creti, L. (1998). Improvement and deterioration in sleep status of “younger” and “older” seniors: A longitudinal study. J. Ment. Health Aging 4(1): 183–192.

    Google Scholar 

  • Libman, E., Creti, L., Amsel, R., Brender, W., and Fichten, C. S. (1997a). What do older good and poor sleepers do during periods of nocturnal wakefulness? The Sleep Behaviors Scale: 60+. Psychol. Aging 12(1): 170–182.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Libman, E., Creti, L., Levy, R. D., Brender, W., and Fichten, C. S. (1997b). A comparison of reported and recorded sleep in older poor sleepers. J. Clinical Geropsychol. 3(3): 199–211.

    Google Scholar 

  • Libman, E., Fichten, C. S., Bailes, S., and Amsel, R. (2000). Sleep questionnaire vs. sleep diary: Which measure is better? Behavior and Sex Therapy Service, SMBD Jewish General Hospital. SqvsDiary.doc. Available e-mail: mc65@musica.mcgill.ca.

  • Lichstein, K. L., and Johnson, R. S. (1991). Older adults’ objective self recording of sleep in the home. Behav. Ther. 22: 531–548.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Littner, M., Hirshkowitz, M., Kramer, M., Kapenm, S., Mc Dowell, Anderson, W., Bailey, D., Berry, R. B., Davila, D., Johnson, S., Kushida, C., Loube, D. I., Wise, M., and Woodson, B. T. (2003a). Practice parameters for using polysomnography to evaluate insomnia. Sleep 26(6): 754–760.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Littner, M., Kushida, C., McDowell Anderson, W., Bailey, D., Berry, R. B., Davila, D., Hirshkowitz, M., Kapen, S., Kramer, M., Loube, D. I., Wise, M., and Johnson, S. (2003b). Practice parameters for the role of actigraphy in the study of sleep and circadian rhythms: An update for 2002. Sleep 26: 337–341.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morin, C. M., Colecchi, C., Stone, J., Brink, D., and Sood, R. (1994). Cognitive-Behav. Ther. for insomnia. Convention Proceedings for the 28th Annual AABT, 65. San Diego, CA: AABT.

  • Morin, C. M., Kowatch, R. A., Barry, T., and Walton, E. (1993). Cognitive-Behav. Ther. for late-life insomnia. J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 61(1): 137–146.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Perlis, M. L., Giles, D. E., Bootzin, R. R., Dikman, Z. V., Fleming, G. M., Drummond, S. P., and Rose, M. W. (1997). Alpha sleep and information processing, perception of sleep, pain, and arousability in fibromyalgia. Int. J. Neurosci. 89(3–4): 265–280.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reite, M., Buysse, D., Reynolds, C., and Mendelson, W. (1995). The use of polysomnography in the evaluation of insomnia. Sleep 18: 58–70.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rioux, I., Bastien, C. H., Morin, C. M., and Tremblay, S. (2004). Time estimation in chronic insomnia sufferers. Presentation at the Canadian Sleep Society 2nd Congress, Quebec.

  • Sarason, I. G., and Stoops, R. (1978). Test anxiety and the passage of time. J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 46(1): 102–109.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Salin-Pascual, R. J., Roehrs, T. A., Merlotti, L. A., Zorick, F., and Roth, T. (1992). Long-term study of insomnia patients with sleep state misperception and other insomnia patients. Am. J. Psychiat. 149(7): 904–908.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tang, N. K. Y., and Harvey, A. G. (2004). Correcting distorted perception of sleep in insomnia: A novel behavioral experiment. Behav. Res. Ther. 42: 27–39.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tang, N. K. Y., and Harvey, A. G. (2003). An investigation of distorted perception of sleep in insomnia using actigraphy. Presentation at the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy (AABT) Conference, Boston.

  • Thayer, S., and Schiff, W. (1975). Eye-contact, facial expression, and the experience of time. J. Soc. Psychol. 95: 117–124.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vallières, A., and Morin, C. M. (2003). Actigraphy in the assessment of insomnia. Sleep 26: 902–906.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vignola, A., Bastien, C. H., and Morin, C. (2002). Evaluation neuropsychologique de la performance objective et subjective chez des aînés bon dormeurs et souffrant d'insomnie chronique. Poster session presented at the Quatrième journée scientifique du Réseau Santé Mentale, Montreal, Quebec.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Catherine S. Fichten.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fichten, C.S., Creti, L., Amsel, R. et al. Time Estimation in Good and Poor Sleepers. J Behav Med 28, 537–553 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-005-9021-8

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-005-9021-8

KEY WORDS:

Navigation