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Stress, support, psychological states and sleep
1Department of Physiological Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
Social Science & Medicine (1982)
|January 1, 1991
Summary
Negative life events and social support impact psychological distress, which in turn affects self-reported sleep quality in mid-life women. Objective sleep patterns were not significantly influenced by these psychological factors.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sleep Science
- Health Psychology
Background:
- Psychological distress is linked to various health outcomes.
- Life events and social support are known moderators of stress.
- Understanding their impact on sleep is crucial for mid-life women's health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the stress-support model's effect on sleep.
- To investigate the relationship between life events, social support, and psychological distress.
- To differentiate impacts on reported versus objective (somnographic) sleep.
Main Methods:
- Partial correlations and path analysis were used.
- The study included 69 mid-life women.
- Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) measured psychological distress.
Main Results:
- Negative life events and non-supportive social contacts increased psychological distress.
- Psychological distress indicators (anxiety, depression) inversely affected reported sleep.
- No significant relationship was found between psychological distress and somnographic sleep.
Conclusions:
- Psychological distress, influenced by negative life events and social support, significantly impacts perceived sleep quality.
- The study highlights a disconnect between subjective sleep reports and objective sleep measures.
- Further research is needed to understand factors influencing objective sleep patterns.