Sleep Quality, Mental and Physical Health: A Differential Relationship

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the association between sleep quality and its components and both dimensions of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a sample of young adults. The sample comprised 337 participants with a mean age of 19.6 y (SD = 2.22). Sleep quality and HRQoL were measured through the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the SF-12, respectively. Regression analyses were used to investigate the association between sleep quality and HRQoL. Our results confirm the significant association between sleep quality and both physical (p = 0.015; β = −0.138; R2 = 0.07) and mental (p < 0.001; β = −0.348; R2 = 0.22) HRQoL in the adjusted models. However, our results also highlight the differential association between sleep quality and mental and physical HRQoL. Whereas all the sleep quality components (except sleep latency; p = 0.349) were significantly associated with mental HRQoL (p < 0.05), just two subscales (subjective sleep quality; p = 0.021; β = −0.143 and sleep disturbances p = 0.002; β = −0.165) showed a significant association. This study showed that there is a stronger association between sleep quality and mental health than sleep quality and physical health in young adults.

Sleep Quality and Its Associations with Physical and Mental Health-Related Quality of Life among University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…However, this discrepancy might be attributable to the wider age range of the subjects included in the research of Darchia et al, since it is likely that several other uncontrolled factors beyond sleep quality had an impact on the older subjects’ perceptions of their physical health. On the other hand, in the study conducted by Clement-Carbonell and colleagues [ 28 ], the same pattern of associations was observed among 337 university students from Spain after controlling for stress and health habits (diet and exercise). Consistently with our findings, significant relations were found between physical HRQoL and both the subjective sleep quality and the sleep disturbances components of the PSQI; however, in comparison with the result of our study, the association observed between sleep quality components and mental HRQoL is stronger.…”

“…For example, in a large community sample of young adults from the U.S., Chen, Gelaye, and Williams [ 27 ] found a significant association between sleep disturbances and a low health-related quality of life, and Marques and colleagues [ 29 ] showed that subjective sleep quality was related to the main aspects of quality of life, including physical and psychological health. Similarly, Clement-Carbonell et al [ 28 ] reported significant associations between sleep quality and both physical and mental health-related quality of life in a sample of Spanish university students, with the latter association being stronger than the former.…”

“…Quality of life is a broad concept that refers to the subjective perception of one’s well-being and position in life [ 23 ], and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) pertains to the health aspects of quality of life, which directly reflect on physical and mental well-being. Given the above-mentioned role of sleep in health and its relations with both mental and physical conditions whose relevance for well-being is evident, it is not surprising that the association between sleep quality and quality of life has been widely investigated both in clinical [ 24 , 25 , 26 ] and community samples [ 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ]. For example, in a large community sample of young adults from the U.S., Chen, Gelaye, and Williams [ 27 ] found a significant association between sleep disturbances and a low health-related quality of life, and Marques and colleagues [ 29 ] showed that subjective sleep quality was related to the main aspects of quality of life, including physical and psychological health.…”

Sleep quality and patterns of young West Balkan adults during the third wave of COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

“…Sleep health impacts both physical and mental health 1. Chronic poor sleep quality is linked to an increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, stroke, obesity, dementia and other health complications which significantly reduce an individual’s quality of life 2.…”

Efficacy of Single-Channel EEG: A Propitious Approach for In-home Sleep Monitoring

“…Sleep is a pivotal biological process and has generally been accepted as a critical factor in human health. Even though the whole function of sleep is not very well studied, it is associated with physical and mental wellness ( 1 , 2 ). The transient disruptions in regular sleep patterns known as acute sleep deprivation impair cognitive skills.…”