Aug 2026· Journal of Clinical Medicine· 0 citations· 35 references
TL;DR
In this online convenience sample of adults aged ≥50 years, sleep quality, anxiety symptoms, and total physical activity showed consistent cross-sectional associations and require confirmation in representative longitudinal studies.
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Sleep quality, anxiety symptoms, physical activity, musculoskeletal pain, and multimorbidity are interrelated health domains, but evidence examining these factors together among adults aged ≥50 years in Saudi Arabia remains limited. This study described their prevalence and assessed cross-sectional associations among these domains. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey using convenience sampling was conducted in Saudi Arabia between December 2024 and April 2025. Participants completed measures of musculoskeletal pain, self-reported morbidity, physical activity (Global Physical Activity Questionnaire), sleep quality (Brief Version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), and anxiety symptoms (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7). Associations were examined using Spearman rank correlations and logistic regression with core adjustment for age, sex, and BMI. The Benjamini–Hochberg false discovery rate correction was applied to eight focal comparisons; Firth penalized logistic regression was applied as a sensitivity analysis for models in which multimorbidity was the outcome. Results: The sample included 298 adults (mean age 58.2 +/− 6.3 years; 75.5% male). Musculoskeletal pain was reported by 73.8%, multimorbidity by 8.4%, poor sleep by 43.3%, and moderate-to-severe anxiety symptoms by 23.8%. Better sleep quality was moderately associated with lower anxiety severity (Spearman rho = −0.45, p < 0.001). Poor sleep was associated with higher odds of moderate-to-severe anxiety symptoms (OR 6.49, 95% CI 3.45–12.20), and low total physical activity was associated with higher odds of both moderate-to-severe anxiety symptoms (OR 7.87, 95% CI 2.68–23.08) and poor sleep (OR 5.09, 95% CI 2.40–10.83). These focal associations remained significant after FDR correction. In an exploratory sensitivity analysis, the poor sleep–multimorbidity association remained comparable when Firth regression was applied (OR 2.71, 95% CI 1.12–7.06; p = 0.027). Conclusions: In this online convenience sample of adults aged ≥50 years, sleep quality, anxiety symptoms, and total physical activity showed consistent cross-sectional associations. Findings involving multimorbidity were exploratory because of the limited number of events. These results require confirmation in representative longitudinal studies.
Targeting insomnia may yield the greatest improvements in sleep quality in this population of community-dwelling older adults in Jordan and is driven primarily by insomnia severity rather than demographic or health factors.
Introduction Physical activity, strength training, and sleep are important determinants of mental health. The authors of this study examined the associations of these lifestyle behaviors with emotional health outcomes among U.S. adults. Methods Authors conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data from the 2024 Health Information National Trends Survey® 7, a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults aged ≥18 years (N = 7278). Outcomes included depression (PHQ-2), anxiety (GAD-2), overall loneliness (PROMIS Social Isolation Short Form), social loneliness, and emotional loneliness. Predictors included moderate-intensity physical activity (≥150 min/week), strength training (≥2 days/week), and weekday and weekend sleep duration. Survey-weighted logistic and multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed, adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related covariates. Results Most respondents screened negative for depression (79.4%) and anxiety (78.4%), and 61.6% reported low loneliness. Most respondents did not meet the recommended levels of moderate-intensity physical activity (56.6%) or strength training (55.4%). In adjusted analyses, meeting strength-training guidelines was associated with lower odds of depression (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.71; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.53–0.95) and loneliness (aOR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.43–0.98). Moderate-intensity physical activity was not independently associated with emotional health outcomes. Obtaining the recommended 7–9 hours of weekend sleep was associated with lower odds of depression, anxiety, and loneliness, whereas obtaining the recommended weekday sleep duration was associated with lower social and emotional loneliness. Conclusions Strength training and adequate sleep were independently associated with better emotional health among U.S. adults. These findings support muscle-strengthening activities and healthy sleep habits as potential targets for mental health promotion.
Samuel Ofei-Dodoo, Y. Khan, Ibrahim Touffaha et al.· Kansas journal of medicine· 0 citations
Physical activity did not show significant associations with psychological symptoms or sleep quality, and higher depression and stress scores predicted poorer sleep quality.
Perceived stress showed the strongest association with both anxiety and somatic symptom burden, and the use of a single total activity score concealed a more specific inverse association between vigorous leisure-time activity and somatic symptoms.
Mihaela Fadgyas Stanculete, O. Căpățînă, Catalin Alexandru Chihaia· Medicina· 0 citations
Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence and patterns of sleep disorders among older adults in India and examine the influence of depression, functional status (ADL and IADL) and physical activity on sleep health.
Methods: A secondary analysis of the 2017-2018 Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) was conducted among adults aged ≥60 years with complete sleep-related data. Sleep disorder was defined as self-reported frequent sleep disturbances. Weighted prevalence estimates and multivariable logistic regression accounting for complex survey design were used to identify sociodemographic, behavioural and health-related determinants. Results are presented as Adjusted Odds Ratios (AORs) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs).
Results: The prevalence of frequent sleep disorder among older adults was 0.95% as per the symptom-based definition. However, a substantially larger proportion reported occasional sleep disturbances, indicating a broader burden of sleep-related complaints. In adjusted analysis, depression emerged as a strong independent predictor of sleep disorder. Older adults with depressive symptoms had higher odds of reporting a sleep disorder compared to those without depression. Multimorbidity (2 or more chronic conditions) was also truly associated with increased odds of sleep disorder. Physical inactivity was identified as an additional modifiable risk factor. Sociodemographic factors such as age, sex and marital status were not associated with sleep disorders after adjusting for health-related variables.
Conclusion: Despite low prevalence under the LASI definition, sleep disorders remain important among older Indians. Mental health, chronic diseases and lifestyle factors outweigh demographics, highlighting the need for integrated sleep, mental health and geriatric care.
Satyabrata Pradhan, Rachita Pradhan, Sushmita Kerketta et al.· Journal of Clinical Medicine...· 0 citations
Background: Sleep duration is a critical determinant of metabolic, psychological and physical health. Arthritis is highly prevalent among adults and frequently coexists with sleep disturbances; however, evidence examining whether arthritis independently increases the risk of short sleep duration remains inconsistent. Objective: To evaluate whether adults with arthritis (including osteoarthritis [OA] and Rheumatoid Arthritis [RA]) have higher odds of short sleep (<7 hours/night) and whether age modifies this association. Methods: We analyzed 9,160 adults aged ≥20 years from NHANES 2015-2018, applying the complex survey design and 4-year MEC examination weights. Arthritis status (none, OA, RA) was self-reported. Sleep duration was categorized as short sleep (<7 hours). Survey-weighted descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were performed (unadjusted, demographic-adjusted and fully adjusted). Age was mean-centered at 50.22 years. Subtype-specific and sex-stratified analyses were conducted and interaction terms tested effect modification by age. Results: Adults with arthritis were older and had higher BMI and smoking prevalence than those without arthritis. Overall, 22.0% of adults reported short sleep (<7 hours/night), with comparable prevalence in those with (21.8%) and without (22.1%) arthritis. In fully adjusted models, arthritis did not independently predict short sleep (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.14, 95% CI 0.98-1.32, p = 0.112). However, the arthritis×age interaction was significant (AOR 0.97, 95% CI 0.97-0.98, p<0.001), indicating age-dependent differences in predicted probability of short sleep. OA but not RA demonstrated a significant age interaction (OA×age AOR 0.97, p = 0.001; RA×age AOR 1.00, p = 0.897). Sex-stratified models showed similar patterns. Conclusions: Arthritis was not independently associated with short sleep after full adjustment but age meaningfully modified this relationship. Sleep health interventions may require age-specific strategies in adults with arthritis.
Mousa A. Albalwi· Journal of Pioneering Medica...· 0 citations