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Short self-reported sleep duration and suicidal behavior: a cross-sectional study.
Hilario Blasco-Fontecilla1, Analucia A Alegria, Jorge Lopez-Castroman
1Department of Psychiatry, Jimenez Diaz Foundation, IIS, Autonoma University, CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain.
Journal of Affective Disorders
|May 7, 2011
Summary
Short sleep may indicate increased suicide risk and severity, particularly in females. This study investigated the link between insufficient sleep and suicidal behavior, finding significant associations in female suicide attempters.
Area of Science:
- Investigates the intersection of sleep science and suicidology.
- Examines psychological and behavioral markers of suicidal ideation and behavior.
Background:
- Previous research has not clarified if short sleep duration is a marker for suicide intent, lethality, or risk.
- Understanding factors associated with suicidal behavior is crucial for developing targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if short sleep is associated with suicide intent, lethality, and risk.
- To explore the relationship between short sleep and the severity of suicidal behavior.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving 434 suicide attempters (SAs), 83 psychiatric inpatients, and 509 healthy controls.
- Short sleep defined as self-reported sleep duration of ≤ 5 hours per day.
- Utilized the Beck's Suicidal Intent Scale (SIS), Risk-Rescue Rating Scale (RRRS), Beck's Medical Lethality Scale (BMLS), and SAD PERSONS scale to assess suicide intent, lethality, and risk.
Main Results:
- Short sleep was more prevalent in male suicide attempters compared to psychiatric controls.
- In female suicide attempters, short sleep was significantly associated with higher scores on the Suicidal Intent Scale (SIS) and the SAD PERSONS scale, indicating greater suicide risk and intent.
- No significant association was found between short sleep and medical lethality (BMLS).
Conclusions:
- Short sleep may serve as a marker for the severity of suicidal behavior, especially among female suicide attempters.
- The association between short sleep and suicidal behavior might be influenced by confounding factors.
- Self-reported sleep duration was a limitation, highlighting the need for objective sleep measures in future research.
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