Factors associated with poor sleep and health-related quality of life

The aim of the study was to establish factors associated with poor sleep and to assess the relationship between self-evaluated sleep quality and health-related quality of life.

Sleep complaints were evaluated using Basic Nordic Sleep Questionnaire, and health-related quality of life was assessed by SF-36. Subjective data about sleep quality were obtained from 1602 randomly selected persons: 600 males and 1002 females, aged 35-74 years. SF-36 was filled in by 1016 persons: 379 males and 637 females. Health status was evaluated by Perceived Health Questionnaire. The odds ratios of poor sleep were calculated using binary logistic regression analysis.

Among males poor self-evaluated health, frequent stress events, regular nighttime awakenings, and sleep latency period longer than 15 min in workdays were significant predictors of poor sleep. Among females, duration of sleep shorter than 7 h, frequent stress events, poor self-evaluated health, sleep latency period longer than 15 min in workdays, and regular nighttime awakenings predicted poor sleep. Poor sleepers, as compared with good ones, had poorer health-related quality of life.

Poor perceived health, frequent stress events, regular nighttime awakenings, and sleep latency period longer than 15 min were indicated as significant predictors of poor sleep. Poor sleep worsened health-related quality of life in all domains of SF-36.