CHC CHC Sleep Health & Recovery 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which practice is MOST effective for resetting the circadian rhythm after travel across multiple time zones?
- Taking a long nap immediately upon arrival
- Avoiding all sunlight for 48 hours
- Seeking bright light exposure in alignment with the destination time zone (Correct answer)
- Fasting for 24 hours before travel
Correct answer: Seeking bright light exposure in alignment with the destination time zone
Timed bright light exposure is the most effective non-pharmacological method for shifting the circadian clock to a new time zone.
Question 2: Which of the following is a well-documented consequence of chronic sleep deprivation?
- Decreased cortisol levels
- Improved insulin sensitivity
- Increased risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes (Correct answer)
- Lower blood pressure
Correct answer: Increased risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes
Chronic sleep deprivation disrupts hunger hormones (ghrelin and leptin) and impairs glucose metabolism, raising the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Question 3: A client drinks coffee at 4 PM and reports trouble sleeping. What should a health coach explain about caffeine?
- Caffeine has no effect after 2 hours
- Caffeine has a half-life of about 5–6 hours and can delay sleep onset (Correct answer)
- Caffeine only affects sleep if consumed after 8 PM
- Caffeine improves REM sleep quality
Correct answer: Caffeine has a half-life of about 5–6 hours and can delay sleep onset
Because caffeine's half-life is 5–6 hours, a 4 PM cup still has significant stimulant effects at bedtime.
Question 4: What is the recommended approach for napping to avoid disrupting nighttime sleep?
- Nap for 2–3 hours in the late afternoon
- Keep naps to 20–30 minutes and avoid them after 3 PM (Correct answer)
- Nap only on weekends to catch up on sleep debt
- Nap for exactly 90 minutes to complete a full sleep cycle
Correct answer: Keep naps to 20–30 minutes and avoid them after 3 PM
Short naps of 20–30 minutes before 3 PM provide restorative benefits without causing sleep inertia or interfering with nighttime sleep drive.
Question 5: Which condition involves repeated episodes of stopped or reduced breathing during sleep and is outside a health coach's scope to diagnose?
- Insomnia
- Restless leg syndrome
- Sleep apnea (Correct answer)
- Narcolepsy
Correct answer: Sleep apnea
Sleep apnea is a medical condition requiring diagnosis by a physician; a health coach should recognize potential symptoms and refer the client for medical evaluation.
Question 6: How does regular physical activity generally affect sleep quality?
- It increases sleep latency and reduces deep sleep
- It has no measurable effect on sleep
- It improves sleep quality and increases slow-wave sleep (Correct answer)
- It is only beneficial if done within one hour of bedtime
Correct answer: It improves sleep quality and increases slow-wave sleep
Regular moderate exercise is consistently linked to improved sleep quality, reduced sleep latency, and increased slow-wave sleep duration.
CHC CHC Sleep Health & Recovery 2
Which practice is MOST effective for resetting the circadian rhythm after travel across multiple time zones?