Abstract
BackgroundResearch supporting relationships between sleep quality, weight, depression and anxiety has typically examined the relationships separately rather than simultaneously, potentially hampering insights into the characteristics of reported links. This study aimed to fill this gap in the research to provide further insight into the factors associated with sleep.MethodsData from wave 4 of the G1219 cohort were used in cross-sectional analyses. The sample comprised 1392 adult twins and siblings aged 18–27 years. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire which included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index as a measure of sleep quality, the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire as a measure of depression symptoms and the Revised Symptoms of Anxiety Scale as a measure of anxiety symptoms. Participants were asked to self-report general health and weight and height so researchers could derive weight status from measures of body mass index.ResultsAn analysis of covariance including weight status, depression, anxiety and general health as predictors and sleep quality as the outcome revealed main effects of depression (F(3,1163) = 10.93, p < 0.001) and general health (F(4,1163) = 5.72, p < 0.001) only.ConclusionsA direct relationship between weight and sleep should not be assumed as it is possible that the relationship is at least in part accounted for by depression symptoms or general health. Depression symptoms and general health may also account for the association between sleep quality and anxiety symptoms in young adults.
Highlights
Research supporting relationships between sleep quality, weight, depression and anxiety has typically examined the relationships separately rather than simultaneously, potentially hampering insights into the characteristics of reported links
Multivariate models suggested that a trend towards an association between sleep quality and weight status and a significant association between sleep quality and anxiety symptoms were not direct as associations became weaker when adjusting for depression symptoms
Thomas et al [33] found that physical health factors such as hypertension greatly attenuated the association between sleep duration and weight status, further adjustment for depression symptoms and emotional stress did not impact upon the explanatory power of the statistical model in
Summary
Research supporting relationships between sleep quality, weight, depression and anxiety has typically examined the relationships separately rather than simultaneously, potentially hampering insights into the characteristics of reported links. As the importance of sleep to physical and psychological health becomes increasingly clear, there is a growing need to establish the mechanisms through which the relationships operate [1,2,3]. While depression was not significantly associated with the weight-related outcomes, controlling for depression did attenuate the relationship between sleep quality and some weight-related outcomes (presence of metabolic syndrome and hunger) in both studies, suggesting a role for depression in the sleep quality-weight relationship. These studies were limited by comparatively small sample sizes and no consideration of other aspects of psychological health such as anxiety symptoms. There is a need in the literature to examine sleep both as an exposure and an outcome
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