Frontalis Muscle Tension and Sleep Latency

This study examined the relationship between frontalis muscle tension and sleep latency. Fifteen subjects reporting various sleep latencies participated. In addition to recording frontalis muscle tension, sleep was monitored on a polygraph for 3 nights. Contrary to expectation, the waking frontalis EMG level did not predict sleep latency. If future research were to show a similar lack of relationship between tension in other muscle groups and sleep onset, it would call into question the use of muscle relaxant drugs and muscle relaxation training in the treatment of sleep-onset insomnia.