Disturbed sleep and excessive daytime sleepiness in a Saudi population-based sample

Abstract

Background: National data on the prevalence of daytime sleepiness and other sleep-related issues are limited for the general Saudi population.Objectives: The aim of this study was to screen a sample of the Saudi population for the prevalence of symptoms of disturbed sleep and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), in addition to the sleep duration of the sample.Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive population-based sample of n = 1419 participants was randomly recruited from two major public places in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The sociodemographic information was collected, and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) was used to measure EDS. These and other sleep-related data were assessed after verbal agreements were received from the participants.Results: The total number of participants was n = 1419, with a mean age of 34.1 ± 9.8 years. The response rate was 76.2%, and 917 (65%) were males. The EDS based on the ESS was 53.8% for the sample, with an increasing trend in the higher age groups (11.4 ± 5.8), particularly in the 30–39 years' old age category. Snoring was highly prevalent in the males at 44% versus the females at 21%, and 55% of the participants were smokers. The mean sleep duration was 6.72 ± 1.97 h.Conclusion: EDS was prevalent in particular higher age groups in the general studied population. Snoring was among the highest prevalent sleep-related symptoms with reported shorter sleep duration in the general population. Public awareness of sleep hygiene or psychoeducation and large epidemiological studies are needed to rule out cultural factors and improve the general well-being of the population of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.