0234 Sleep Timing and Duration Predict Levels of Repetitive Negative Thinking the Following Day

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Several forms of psychopathology characterized by repetitive negative thinking (RNT) are also associated with problems in sleep timing and sleep duration (Morin & Ware, 1996). These relations have been documented in cross-sectional studies but only a few studies have investigated this relation using a prospective design. This study aimed to: (1) replicate cross-sectional findings linking sleep duration and sleep timing to RNT and (2) use prospective longitudinal methods to extend previous research regarding this relation. Methods Participants (N = 127) were undergraduates who completed daily measures of sleep, mood, and RNT for 18 days. Participants mean age was 19.31(SD = 1.41) and 49% were male, and 60% were Caucasian. Measures included the Perseverative Thoughts Questionnaire, the Sleep-50, and a Daily Monitoring Questionnaire (DMQ) comprised of items from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Results Insomnia severity and circadian disruption severity was correlated with RNT, and these relations remained significant after statistically controlling for the influence of negative affect (Insomnia: r(123)=.22, p=.01; Circadian: r(123)=.21, p=.02). When looking longitudinally within person Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) revealed later bedtimes (t(125) = 2.01, p = .05) and shorter sleep durations (t(125) = -3.17, p = .002) were predictors of heightened RNT the next day, even after statistically controlling for negative affect (RNTij=π oj+π 1j(RNT_lag) + π 2j(bedtime_lag/hours slept_lag) + π 3j(mood_lag) + eij). RNT did not predict sleep variables when running the reverse of these models, yet negative affect emerged as a significant predictor of sleep timing (t(125) = 2.41, p = .02) and sleep duration (t(125)= -2.44, p=.02), indicating that mood, not RNT, may influence bedtimes and hours slept. Conclusion Results indicate that bedtime and sleep duration may be contributors to RNT, and that sleep disruptions may precede the onset of RNT. If future studies replicate the current study’s findings, then sleep variables may serve as an important area of intervention and prevention of excessive RNT. Support N/A