Aug 2026· BJPsych International· pp. 1-9· 0 citations· 33 references
TL;DR
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.
Abstract
Sleep disturbance, chronic pain and mental health symptoms frequently co-occur in older adults, but data from the Middle East remain limited.
This study aimed to examine sleep quality and its associations with pain and mental health symptoms among community-dwelling older adults in Jordan.
A cross-sectional study was conducted among adults aged ≥60 years recruited from geriatric clinics and rehabilitation centres. Sleep quality (primary outcome) was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), International Restless Legs Syndrome Severity Rating Scale (IRLS), daytime sleepiness via the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the Brief Pain Inventory were measured. Correlation and multiple linear regression models by domain (demographic, lifestyle/health, sleep-specific, mental health and pain), followed by a fully adjusted model, were performed.
A total of 121 participants (mean age 67.9 ± 7.5 years, 44.6% female) were included. Mean PSQI score was 13.5 ± 3.2, indicating poor sleep quality. In bivariate analysis, higher ISI, IRLS, ESS, DASS-21 and pain severity/interference were significantly associated with poorer sleep quality (all
p
< 0.01). Domain-specific models identified insomnia severity, depressive and anxiety symptoms and pain variables as significant predictors. In the fully adjusted model (adjusted
R
2
= 0.268), only insomnia severity remained as an independent predictor of poorer sleep quality, with retirement showing a borderline association.
Poor sleep quality is highly prevalent among community-dwelling older adults in Jordan and is driven primarily by insomnia severity rather than demographic or health factors. Targeting insomnia may yield the greatest improvements in sleep quality in this population.
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.
Hammad S. Alhasan, M. Alshehri· Journal of Clinical Medicine· 0 citations
Sleeping difficulties are prevalent among adults with pulmonary hypertension (PH), with most individuals studied to date reporting poor sleep. However, research investigating the impact of sleep on psychological distress and health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) in PH remains limited. This study aimed to identify the nature of common sleep difficulties in PH and the associated psychosocial impact using multiple self‐reported measures. A cross‐sectional survey was conducted with 111 adults with PH recruited from PH associations globally. Most identified as White (91%) and female (82%). Participants completed measures of overall sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), insomnia (Insomnia Severity Scale), daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale), anxiety (Generalised Anxiety Disorder‐7), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire‐9) and HRQoL (emPHasis‐10). Regression analyses were used to inspect relationships between measures and other PH variables. A total of 79.8% of participants were identified as having poor sleep quality. The most prevalent sleep‐related difficulties were sleep disturbance and sleep latency issues. Insomnia and daytime sleepiness rates were also elevated (35% and 33.6%, respectively) and often co‐occurred. In addition, 40% and 29% of participants had clinical levels of depression and anxiety, respectively. All types of sleep difficulties were associated with lower HRQoL. A series of parallel mediation analyses suggested that this association was partially mediated by depressive symptoms. The findings indicate the need to routinely screen for both sleep difficulties and mood disturbance in this population. Further work is needed to understand whether existing brief sleep interventions are effective for use in PH, where multiple factors are influencing sleep quality.
Jemma L. Green, V. Costin, Iain Armstrong et al.· Clinical Respiratory Journal· 0 citations
Background and Objective: Sleep problems are common in school-aged children and may have negative impacts on their health. This study aimed to determine the sleep disorder patterns in school-aged children and evaluate their associ- ation with maternal anxiety, stress, and depression.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2018 and September 2019 and included children aged 7-12 years using convenience sampling. The Persian version of the BEARS questionnaire, which incorporates five basic sleep domains (Bedtime problems, Excessive sleepiness, Awakenings during the night, Regulari- ty of sleep, Snoring), was used to assess sleep disorders. Maternal anxiety, stress, and depression were measured using the short form of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS), a caregiver self-report tool. Multivariable logistic regression was applied to assess the association between child sleep problems and maternal mental health.
Results: In the 99 children included, the most common sleep problem was nocturnal awakening, with 48.5% experienc- ing it. Excessive daytime sleepiness was the second most common problem, affecting 38.4% of children. In the multi- variable-adjusted model, awaking during the night [odds ratio (OR): 3.16, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.27-7.82] and bedtime problems (OR: 4.20, 95% CI: 1.16-15.20) showed a positive association with moderate to severe levels of maternal anxiety, stress, and depression.
Conclusion: The prevalence of sleep problems among school-aged children underscores the need for family awareness and education about sleep problems.
Asghar Ghorbani, A. Najafi, A. Behkar et al.· Journal of sleep sciences· 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.
Background: Medical students are vulnerable to sleep disturbance and nocturnal eating behaviors that may jointly increase psychiatric and metabolic morbidity. Comprehensive sleep-eating evaluations in Turkish medical students remain limited. To determine the prevalence of poor sleep quality and night eating syndrome (NES) risk and to examine their cross-sectional associations with insomnia, anxiety, emotional eating, restless legs symptoms, chronotype, and lifestyle factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study, conducted from March to December 2023, included 265 medical students who completed validated instruments assessing sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]), night eating syndrome (NES) risk (a score of ≥25 indicating high risk), insomnia severity, daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale [ESS]), anxiety, emotional eating, Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) symptoms, and chronotype. Group comparisons, Spearman’s correlation analyses, and multiple linear regression were conducted. Results: Poor sleep quality (PSQI > 5) affected 50.2% of participants, and high NES risk affected 14.7%. PSQI correlated with NEQ (r = 0.301; p < 0.001), insomnia severity (r = 0.538), anxiety, and emotional eating. Mean NEQ was higher in the poor-sleep group (18.67 ± 8.00 vs. 15.38 ± 6.36; p < 0.001; Cohen’s d = 0.455). Females had higher PSQI and ESS scores, anxiety, and emotional eating scores; high NES risk was numerically more frequent in males (18.6% vs. 11.8%; p = 0.175). RLS symptoms (score > 0) were present in 34.7% (mild 22.6%; moderate 7.9%; severe 4.2%). In the primary multivariable model (PSQI and sex), PSQI was the strongest independent correlate of NEQ (standardized β = 0.325; p < 0.001); sensitivity analyses showed stable PSQI estimates after additional covariate adjustment, whereas sex coefficients were non-significant and unstable across models. A secondary model excluding PSQI identified alcohol use as a significant lifestyle correlate (standardized β = 0.167; p = 0.014). R2 = 0.148 for the full covariate model and R2 = 0.108 for the primary model. Conclusions: Sleep disturbance and NES risk are prevalent and cross-sectionally associated in Turkish medical students. Poor sleep quality was the strongest independent correlate of night eating scores. Integrated campus screening targeting sleep, eating behavior, anxiety, and comorbid sleep symptoms may facilitate prevention and referral.
V. Tekin, Sümeyra Delibaş, Eyüp Sina Keten et al.· Healthcare· 0 citations
Background Population aging has intensified concerns regarding mental health in older adults. Multimorbidity is highly prevalent in late life and is strongly associated with both somatic pain and depressive symptoms. Somatic pain and abnormal sleep duration are common in older adults and may mediate the relationship between chronic disease burden and depression. However, the potential chain mediating roles of somatic pain and sleep duration between chronic disease count and depressive symptoms remain unclear. Aim To examine whether somatic pain and sleep duration independently and sequentially mediate the association between chronic disease count and depressive symptoms in older adults. Methods A total of 213 older adult patients who visited the First People’s Hospital of Zunyi from March 2020 to March 2024 were selected as the research subjects. Data were collected using a general information questionnaire, the Chronic Disease Checklist, the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), and the 10-item Short-Form Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D-10). SPSS 26.0 and PROCESS 4.1 macro program were used for correlation analysis, regression analysis, and bootstrap mediation effect test. Results The depression detection rate was 40.38%. Chronic disease count, sleep duration, somatic pain, and depressive symptoms were significantly correlated (all P < 0.01). After covariate adjustment, chronic disease count had a significant direct effect on depressive symptoms (β=0.164, 95% CI: 0.056–0.273). The independent mediating effects of somatic pain (effect=0.122, 95% CI: 0.057–0.187) and sleep duration (effect=0.054, 95% CI: 0.021–0.096), as well as the chain mediating effect of “somatic pain → sleep duration” (effect=0.018, 95% CI: 0.006–0.037), were all significant. The total indirect effect accounted for 54.17% of the total effect. Conclusion Somatic pain and sleep duration independently and sequentially mediate the association between chronic disease count and depressive symptoms in older adults. Integrated strategies targeting multimorbidity control, pain management, and sleep regulation may help reduce depression risk. However, the chain-mediated effect was small in magnitude, suggesting that direct interventions targeting pain and sleep may offer more clinically meaningful benefits than long-chain approaches. Given the cross-sectional design, causal directions cannot be inferred.
