Citation

Hom MA, Hames JL, Bodell LP, Buchman-Schmitt JM, Chu C, Rogers ML, Chiurliza B, Michaels MS, Ribeiro JD, Nadorff MR, Winer ES, Lim IC, Rudd MD, Joiner TE. Psychiatry Res. 2017; 253: 116-128.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.psychres.2017.03.046

PMID

28364589

PMCID

PMC5479064

Abstract

Loneliness has been repeatedly associated with sleep problems; however, there is a dearth of research examining the prospective relationship between insomnia and loneliness, as well as this association controlling for other psychiatric symptoms. This study evaluated the cross-sectional and prospective relationship between insomnia and loneliness using six samples: 666 undergraduates; 2785 Army recruiters; 208 adults with a history of suicidality and/or depression; 343 adult psychiatric outpatients; 326 young adults at elevated suicide risk; and 183 undergraduates. A meta-analysis also was conducted to examine the magnitude of the relationship between insomnia and loneliness across the six studies. More severe insomnia symptoms were significantly associated with greater feelings of loneliness while accounting for some (e.g., anxiety, nightmares) but not all (i.e., depression) psychiatric covariates.

FINDINGS underscore the strength of the association between insomnia and loneliness and suggest that depression may account for this relationship. Additional studies are needed to further establish the temporal relationship between these variables, delineate the role of depression in the association between insomnia and loneliness, and test whether insomnia may confer unique risk for subsequent loneliness.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Cross-Sectional Studies; Risk Factors; Adult; Female; Male; Students; Anxiety; Depression; Prospective Studies; Young Adult; Suicidal Ideation; Longitudinal Studies; Loneliness; Insomnia; Outpatients; Thwarted belongingness; Military Personnel; Dreams; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders; Sleep problems; Sleep disturbances