Suicidal thoughts and daytime tiredness link together in adults in a nationwide population-based health examination study

Abstract

Problems with sleep appear a key feature in psychological distress emerging as suicidal thoughts at its worst. As part of a nationwide health examination study on 4387 participants, aged 18–97 years, we analyzed, whether suicidal thoughts during the past 7 days as scored on the Hopkins Symptom Checklist were associated with current sleep disturbances including difficulties in falling or staying asleep, daytime tiredness, loss of sleep over worry, insufficient sleep, and the usage of sleeping pills. In the stepwise regression analysis of the recent suicidal thoughts, the current daytime tiredness showed the significant association most robustly, whereas by adding clinically relevant information to analysis, the current difficulties falling or staying asleep, the use of mental health services during the past 12 months, and the level of education predicted the recent suicidal thoughts significantly. To conclude, recent suicidal thoughts were significantly associated with current sleep disturbances.