Multidimensional Sleep Health and Physical Functioning in Older Adults

Objective: To examine the association between multidimensional sleep health and objective measures of physical functioning in older adults. Method: We conducted a secondary analysis of 158 adults ≥65 years who participated in Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) 2 and MIDUS Refresher studies. Physical functioning was assessed using gait speed during a 50-foot timed walk, lower extremity strength via chair stand test, and grip strength via hand-held dynamometers. Composite multidimensional sleep health scores were derived from 1 week of sleep diaries and wrist actigraphy. Results: Multiple linear regression was used to examine the associations between multidimensional sleep health and physical functioning measures. In adjusted regression analyses, multidimensional sleep health was significantly positively associated with gait speed but not lower extremity strength or grip strength. Discussion: These findings suggest multidimensional sleep health may contribute to physical functioning in older adults. Longitudinal examinations are needed to determine the value of multidimensional sleep health as a therapeutic target to optimize physical functioning.