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Sleep in People Experiencing Homelessness Under Different Conditions and Seasons
Alicia Rice1, Leandro P Casiraghi1, Cristina Gildee2
1Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|February 3, 2025
Summary
Homeless individuals experience significant sleep disparities, with shorter sleep duration and poorer quality, especially in winter. Objective sleep measurement via actigraphy can assess interventions for improving sleep and health in this population.
Area of Science:
- Sleep science
- Public health
- Homelessness research
Background:
- Poor sleep is a major health disparity for homeless populations.
- Interventions for homelessness should prioritize sleep improvement.
- Objective sleep metrics can evaluate intervention effectiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To objectively measure sleep patterns in homeless adults across different seasons.
- To compare sleep metrics between homeless and housed individuals.
- To assess the utility of actigraphy for evaluating interventions.
Main Methods:
- Actigraphy-based sleep measurement in homeless adults in Seattle shelters (summer/winter).
- Comparison of sleep duration and quality (sleep variability index, nocturnal activity) with housed individuals.
- Analysis of intraindividual variability in sleep parameters.
Main Results:
- Homeless participants had more sleepless nights than housed participants year-round.
- Winter sleep duration was up to 1.5 hours shorter for homeless individuals.
- Sleep quality was poorer in homeless individuals during winter compared to housed individuals.
Conclusions:
- Objective sleep measurement is feasible and valuable for assessing interventions for the homeless.
- Homeless individuals face significant seasonal sleep disparities, impacting health.
- Addressing sleep disparity is crucial for improving the overall health and well-being of people experiencing homelessness.
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