Variability of Sleep Duration Is Related to Subjective Sleep Quality and Subjective Well-Being: An Actigraphy Study
Year: 2013
Type: article
Abstract: While there is a large body of evidence that poor subjective sleep quality is related to lower subjective well-being, studies on the relation of objective sleep measures and subjective well-being are fewer in number and less consistent in their findings. Using data of the Survey of Mid-Life in the United States (MIDUS), we investigated whether duration and quality of sleep, assessed by actigraphy, were related to subjective well-being and whether this relationship was mediated by subjective sleep quality. Three hundred and thirteen mainly white American individuals from the general population and 128 urban-dwelling African American individuals between 35 and 85 years of age were studied cross-sectionally. Sleep duration, variability of sleep duration, sleep onset latency, and time awake after sleep onset were assessed by actigraphy over a period of 7 days. Subjective sleep quality was assessed with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, positive psychological well-being and symptoms of psychological distress were assessed with the Satisfaction with Life Scale and the Mood and Anxiety Symptom Questionnaire. In both white and African Americans high day-to-day variability in sleep duration was related to lower levels of subjective well-being controlling age, gender, educational and marital status, and BMI. By contrast, sleep duration, sleep onset latency, and time awake after sleep onset were not related to subjective well-being controlling covariates and other sleep variables. Moreover, the relationship between variability in sleep duration and well-being was partially mediated by subjective sleep quality. The findings show that great day-to-day variability in sleep duration--more than average sleep duration--is related to poor subjective sleep quality and poor subjective well-being.
Source: PLoS ONE
Institutions: University of Basel, Purdue University West Lafayette
Language: English
Topic: Sleep and related disorders
Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,382
Funders: John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Georgetown University, Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging, National Center for Research Resources, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
Awards: G1204597498, G1336031773, G3086608707, General Clinical Research Center, Institutional Clinical and Translational Science Award (UW-Madison)(UL1), General Clinical Research Center, Institutional Clinical and Translational Science Award, Integrative Pathways to Health and Illness, G8722151542
OpenAlex ID: W2030341972