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Sleep Health Analysis Through Sleep Symptoms in 35,808 Individuals Across Age and Sex Differences: Comparative
Christophe Gauld1, Sarah Hartley2,3, Jean-Arthur Micoulaud-Franchi4,5
1Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France.
JMIR Public Health and Surveillance
|June 11, 2024
Summary
Network analysis revealed that nonrestorative sleep and excessive daytime sleepiness are key symptoms across all age and sex groups. Sleep behaviors are more central in younger individuals and women, while sleep disorder symptoms increase with age.
Area of Science:
- Sleep Science
- Network Analysis
- Public Health
Background:
- Sleep health is complex, involving behaviors, disorders, and subjective/objective measures.
- Symptom network analysis visualizes and quantifies interactions between sleep-related variables.
- Understanding demographic influences (sex, age) on sleep health is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze symptom centrality in sleep health using a network approach.
- To compare age and sex differences in sleep health symptom networks.
- To investigate sleep health in a large French population concerned about sleep.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 35,808 participants via the Réseau Morphée health network questionnaire.
- Conducted network analysis on 39 clinical sleep variables.
- Calculated centrality, robustness, and predictability, comparing networks across sex and 4 age groups.
Main Results:
- No significant structural differences in sleep symptom networks were found between sexes or age groups.
- Nonrestorative sleep and excessive daytime sleepiness were the most central symptoms universally.
- Sleep behaviors (circadian misalignment, sleep deprivation) were more central in younger individuals and women.
- Sleep disorder symptoms (leg discomfort, breathing issues) became more prominent with age.
Conclusions:
- Despite known demographic sleep differences, sleep symptom network structures are comparable across sexes and ages.
- Nonrestorative sleep and excessive daytime sleepiness are core issues for all.
- Targeted sleep promotion and screening strategies considering sex and age are recommended.
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