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Sleep
problems related to anxiety?
 Sleep
problems may be related to anxiety according to a new study reported
in Science Daily (November 2, 2007). The study reported that sleep
problems may be experienced by individuals for a period at least six
months after stressful life situations that result in feelings of
anxiety.
The study focused
on a population sample of 16,627 men and women without problems
sleeping and 2,572 with sleep problems who participated in a five-year
longitudinal observational cohort study. The study was authored by
Jussi Vahtera MD of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health in
Helsinki, Finland.
At the onset of
the study, measurements were taken of an individual's liability to
anxiety, which was determined by a general feeling of stressfulness or
hyperactivity. Measurement of sleep problems was measured at
follow-up five years later in relation to the occurrence of post-onset
life events such as the death or illness of family members, divorce,
financial difficulty and violence.
The study found
that liability to anxiety and exposure to negative life experiences
were strongly associated with sleep problems among samples of men who
seemed to have a liability to anxiety. The odds of sleep problems were
3.11 times higher for those who experienced a severe life experience
as opposed to those who did not. Among the group of men who were not
liable to anxiety, only 1.13 experienced sleep problems. For both men
and women who were liable to anxiety, the odds for sleep problems for
a period of zero to six months after divorce was 2.05 with a
corresponding ratio of 1.47 for those who were not liable to anxiety.
Dr. Vahtera stated
that "This five-year follow-up showed that exposure to severe
stressful events can trigger sleep disturbances in people with
undisturbed sleep before the event. Those liable to anxiety before
the event seemed be at higher risk of post-event sleep disturbances
compared with those not liable to anxiety. The strength of this study
is a study design that allowed the timing of pre-event predisposing
traits and the occurrence of specific stressful events precipitating
the onset of sleep disturbances. Control for a large number of
potential comfounding factors suggest that the observed associations
were not explained by socioeconomic position, obesity, high alcohol
intake or chronic medical conditions at study entry".
The conclusion
recommend by experts is that adults get 7-8 hours of sleep each night
for good health and optimum performance. They also recommend that
adolescents sleep about nine hours a night, school-age children
between 10-11 hours night and children in preschool between 11-13
hours. Individuals who believe they may have a sleep problem should
probably consult their primary care physician or a sleep specialist.
Adapted from
Anxiety Linked to Sleep Disturbances-Science Daily (November
2-2007) by
Paul Susic MA Licensed Psychologist Ph.D Candidate
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