Positive Affect Is Associated With Fewer Sleep Problems in Older Caregivers but not Noncaregivers

Abstract

Results suggest that routine screening and interventions to increase PA may reduce sleep problems among older caregivers.

Is purpose in life associated with less sleep disturbance in older adults?

“…The premise of positive psychological well-being includes the notion that improved well-being will be accompanied by the optimal functioning of the persons' physiological systems (Phelan et al 2010;Ryff et al 2004). Also research has indicated that individuals who are high in components of psychological well-being other than purpose in life such as positive affect have fewer physical symptoms and better overall health (Fredman et al 2014). Research by Ancoli-Isreal suggests a strong association between sleep difficulties and cardiac disease (Ancoli-Israel 2009), this research also posits that comorbidities associated with aging, such as medical and psychiatric illness, like cardiac disease and depression, foster the decreased ability to sleep in older adults rather than increasing age alone.…”

Evaluation of depressive symptoms in older caregivers

“…The age limit used to designate caregivers in studies analyzed in present review was in 35.3% of the cases ≥ 60 years 17,18,24,27,31,32 and in 29.4% ≥ 65 years 20,21,23,28,33 . Three texts (17.6%) did not mention any limit, but in results it was possible to see all caregivers were older adults 22,25,30 .…”

“…By analyzing the articles' results it was possible to see that 52.9% evaluated only familiar caregiver 17,[20][21][22]25,[29][30][31][32] and in 47.1% caregiver could be even familiar or not 18,19,23,24,[26][27][28]33 .…”

“…The majority of manuscripts included caregivers who care for someone with Alzheimer Disease (AD) or other type of dementia (35.3%) 18,22,25,29,30,32 . In 23.5% there were grouped caregivers of people with chronic conditions, limitations in Activities of Daily Living, disability, memory problems and physically frail 17,19,26,33 ; 11.7% included caregivers who reported to care for a spouse and/or parents in the past five years 20,21 ; 11.7% who care for someone with AD or physically disabled 24,28 ; two texts (11.7%) who reported became a caregiver recently (called recent caregiver) 23,27 ; and one who care for a biological grandchildren 31 .…”

“…Texts in which participants were divided in caregiver group and noncaregiver group, corresponded for 58.8% of total [17][18][19][20]23,25,26,28,31,33 , and texts in which participants composed only by a caregiver group for 41.2% 21,22,24,27,29,30,32 .…”