Socioeconomic Status and Sleep among Couples

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Sleep Medicine
• Health Economics

Background:

• Lower socioeconomic status (SES) is generally linked to poorer sleep.
• Limited research exists on how specific SES indices relate to sleep duration and quality longitudinally.
• The impact of SES on sleep within cohabiting couples remains under-explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the longitudinal associations between multiple SES indicators and sleep parameters in cohabiting adults.
• To examine both individual (actor) and partner effects within couples regarding SES and sleep.
• To differentiate the impact of various SES measures on objective and subjective sleep outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal study of 135 cohabiting couples (N=270) with data collected at two time points, 1 year apart.
• Assessment of multiple SES indices: income, perceived economic well-being, education, employment status, and occupation.
• Objective sleep assessment using actigraphy (sleep duration, sleep efficiency, wake after sleep onset) and subjective self-reports.

Main Results:

• Lower SES was associated with shorter sleep duration and poorer sleep quality (reduced sleep efficiency, increased wake after sleep onset) for both men and women.
• The income-to-needs ratio and perceived economic well-being were particularly strong predictors of sleep parameters.
• Partner effects were observed: men's employment status positively influenced women's sleep duration and quality, while women's employment status negatively impacted men's subjective sleep.

Conclusions:

• SES significantly impacts sleep duration and quality, with specific indices like income-to-needs ratio showing pronounced effects.
• Interpersonal dynamics within couples play a role, where one partner's employment status can influence the other's sleep.
• Future research should consider multiple SES indicators and the relational context when examining the SES-sleep relationship.