Financial Hardship Linked to Poor Sleep Quality, Short Sleep Duration, Insomnia

People facing financial hardship have a higher risk of poor sleep quality, short sleep duration, and insomnia than those without financial difficulties, according to a recent study published in Sleep Health.

Insufficient quality sleep has been linked to premature death, higher risk of accidents, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, addiction disorders, cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and many more chronic conditions. Previous research has assessed the effect of social inequities on sleep outcomes, but the relationship between economic hardship and sleep health remains unclear.

To evaluate the effect of financial hardship on sleep quality, sleep duration, and insomnia, investigators conducted a study using data from the Specchio cohort, a population-based study in Geneva, Switzerland that began in December 2020. Study participants completed a questionnaire in 2020, and then 2 additional questionnaires in June 2021. The investigators measured insomnia using the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and categorized financial hardship responses to reflect financial hardship vs no financial hardship.

There were a total of 4388 participants (mean age=51.4 years; SD=14.5), of whom 56.7% were women, 66.3% had a tertiary education level, and 83.2% reported no financial hardship. In line with previous research, perceived financial hardship was correlated with gross household income (r=0.28; P <.001).

The investigators found that participants who reported financial hardship had significantly higher odds of insomnia (odds ratio [OR], 2.11; 95% CI, 1.70-2.61), poor sleep quality (OR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.41-2.02), and insufficient sleep duration (OR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.18-1.66) compared with those who reported no financial troubles. Financial hardship’s effect on sleep was partly explained by psychosocial factors, which accounted for 40% of its link to insomnia, 35% to poor sleep quality, and 10% to reduced sleep duration. 

These results highlight how societal disparities, like financial hardship, can adversely affect sleep. The study authors posit that financial stress plays a pivotal role in poor sleep in this population, stating, “We theorized that experiencing financial difficulties might increase feelings of loneliness and/or psychological distress, leading to poor sleep – a model our findings support.”

Study limitations include the relatively homogenous study population of mostly White and European participants, the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on questionnaire answers, and a lack of analysis on other mediating factors, like lifestyle choices.

This article originally appeared on Sleep Wake Advisor