Duration and quality of sleep in 2 rural Cree First Nation communities in Saskatchewan, Canada

Estimates of sleep duration and quality are lacking for Canadian First Nations peoples. This study examines the prevalence of and risk factors for short/normal/long sleep duration and sleep quality.

Five hundred eighty-eight adults participated in the baseline survey of the First Nations Sleep Health Project conducted in 2018-2019 in Saskatchewan, Canada. Sleep duration and quality were self-reported.

Mean sleep duration was 8.18 hours per night. About 45.5% slept the recommended 7 hours per night. However, short sleep duration and poor sleep quality were relatively common: about one-quarter of the participants slept fewer hours than recommended. Sleep duration was significantly less for men than women. Women were significantly more likely to report poor sleep quality than males. Multiple regression models revealed that age was significantly related with shorter sleep duration; sex and employment status were significantly related with sleep duration; and sex and income indicators were significantly associated with sleep quality. Nearly half of participants reported having had the recommended hours of sleep, but nearly two-thirds reported poor sleep quality.

Information about the proportion of First Nations adults who sleep the recommended duration and the quality of sleep is important in informing health care and health policy.