https://youtu.be/AD5RoRmRwDU BACKGROUND High levels of sleep reactivity (SR) —the sensitivity of sleep patterns to stress—have been associated with a risk of developing insomnia disorder. Furthermore, insomnia disorder increases vulnerability to negative health outcomes such as decreased stamina and overall fatigue. Recognizing how SR contributes to these adverse health effects allows for the development of more effective training programs and rehabilitation services. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between SR with sleep, cardiovascular, and mental health (MH) in adults with insomnia symptoms. METHODS Data were collected on 33 insufficiently active adults (age=34.9±10.6 y, body mass index [BMI]=28.7±7.2 kg⋅m−2, female=84.8%, White=78.8%) with self-reported insomnia symptoms (Insomnia Severity Index=15.9±3.9). SR was assessed using the Ford Insomnia Reactivity to Stress Test (FIRST) questionnaire. The total score ranges from to 9-36; with higher scores associated with greater sleep difficulties when experiencing stress. Sleep was tracked using 7 nights of actigraphy and a sleep diary, variables included sleep efficiency (SE), total sleep time (TST), and wake after sleep onset (WASO). Cardiovascular outcomes included daytime resting heart rate variability (HRV), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body fat %, and 1 night of nocturnal HRV. MH assessments measured anxiety (General Anxiety Disorder-7 [GAD-7] questionnaire) and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9]) symptoms. Linear regression models were adjusted for race, age, sex, and BMI. RESULTS Participants had a mean FIRST score of 24.2±5.8, indicating that 90.9% of participants had a high risk of developing insomnia disorder (FIRST ≥18). SR was not significantly associated with actigraphy- or diary-assessed SE, TST, or WASO (each p>0.174). SR was not significantly associated with daytime cardiovascular outcomes or nocturnal HRV (each p>0.116). Higher SR was significantly associated with greater anxiety (β=0.40, p=0.045) and depression (β=0.39, p=0.05) symptoms. CONCLUSION These cross-sectional data suggest that SR is associated with psychological symptoms, but not sleep or cardiovascular outcomes. Although SR demonstrated an impact on MH outcomes, future research should investigate its potential indirect relationship with physical health. Additionally, given the impact of physical activity on both mental and physical health, it is essential to explore early physical activity interventions to improve MH outcomes and reduce the risk of insomnia disorder.
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