Subjective Well-Being Is Modulated by Circadian Phase, Sleep Pressure, Age, and Gender

Abstract

Subjective well-being largely depends on mood, which shows circadian rhythmicity and can be linked to rhythms in many physiological circadian markers, such as melatonin and cortisol. In healthy young volunteers mood is influenced by an interaction of circadian phase and the duration of time awake. The authors analyzed this interaction under differential sleep pressure conditions to investigate age and gender effects on subjective well-being. Sixteen healthy young (8 women, 8 men; 20-35 years) and 16 older volunteers (8 women, 8 men; 55-75 years) underwent a 40-h sleep deprivation (high sleep pressure) and a 40-h nap protocol (low sleep pressure) in a balanced crossover design under constant routine conditions. Mood, tension, and physical comfort were assessed by visual analogue scales during scheduled wakefulness, and their average formed a composite score of well-being. Significant variations in well-being were determined by the factors "age," "sleep pressure," and "circadian phase." Well-being was generally worse under high than low sleep pressure. Older volunteers felt significantly worse than the young under both experimental conditions. Significant interactions were found between "sleep pressure" and "age," and between "sleep pressure" and "gender." This indicated that older volunteers and women responded with a greater impairment in well-being under high compared with low sleep pressure. The time course of well-being displayed a significant circadian modulation, particularly in women under high sleep pressure conditions. The results demonstrate age- and/or gender-related modifications of well-being related to sleep deprivation and circadian phase and thus point to specific biological components of mood vulnerability.

Sleep duration and health status self-assessment (SF-36) in the elderly: a population-based study (ISA-Camp 2008)

“…These findings corroborate with those of the literature that show that sleep deprivation is associated with mood, tension and fatigue 14,15 , especially with the advance in age 14 . The study carried out by Faubel et al 25 found differences in mean SF-36 scores for all scale of the mental component in the adjusted analyses only in women, with a greater magnitude of association for role-emotional scale.…”

“…Literature also suggests that good quality sleep provides for daily recovery from physical and mental stresses, improves mood, concentration and memory and reduces the risk of accidents 8,14,15 .…”

Sleep and Emotional Functions

“…Stress can also disrupt the circadian cycle (Meerlo et al 2002), leading to depressive episodes in vulnerable individuals (Ehlers et al 1988). In addition, mood deteriorates with increases in the duration of prior wakefulness (Birchler-Pedross et al 2009;Boivin et al 1997). The nature of the circadian-homeostatic interaction is such that moderate changes in the timing of the sleep-wake cycle may have profound effects on subsequent mood.…”

Perspectives of Human Development: Time, Space, and Chrononutrition

“…However in patients with Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome, the onset of salivary melatonin, adjudged by a dim light onset test, was also delayed. Chrononutrition will almost certainly be important on changing temporal and constituent patterns of dietary intake and melatonin may be one determinant of subjective well-being [163].…”