Personality and insomnia symptoms in older adults: the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darlynn M Rojo-Wissar ◽  
Amal A Wanigatunga ◽  
Eleanor M Simonsick ◽  
Antonio Terracciano ◽  
Mark N Wu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Symptom Severity ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Community Sample ◽  
Cognitive Status ◽  
Study Objective ◽  
Insomnia Symptom ◽  
Baltimore Longitudinal Study ◽  
Insomnia Symptoms

Abstract Study Objective To examine associations of personality dimensions and facets with insomnia symptoms in a community sample of older adults. Methods We studied 1049 participants aged 60–97 years in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Personality was assessed by the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R), and insomnia symptom severity was measured by the Women’s Health Initiative Insomnia Rating Scale (WHIIRS). Results Adjusting for demographic characteristics, higher neuroticism, lower conscientiousness, and lower extraversion were associated with greater insomnia symptom severity. These associations remained significant for neuroticism and conscientiousness when further adjusting for depressive symptoms and comorbidities. Higher scores on neuroticism facets Anxiety, Angry Hostility, and Depression, and lower scores on conscientiousness facets Competence, Order, and Achievement Striving and on agreeableness facet Altruism were associated with greater insomnia symptom severity in fully adjusted models. Results were similar among cognitively normal older adults (N = 966), except higher scores on extraversion facets Warmth and Assertiveness associated with lower insomnia symptom severity, and agreeableness facet Altruism was unassociated. Conclusion Among older adults, insomnia symptoms appear partially related to personality, with persons higher in neuroticism experiencing greater insomnia symptom severity, and those higher in conscientiousness experiencing lower insomnia symptom severity. Exploring facets of the Big-Five dimensions may provide additional insight regarding the etiology and resolution of sleep disturbance, and some of these associations may differ based on cognitive status. Future studies should investigate the hypothesis that sleep impairment mediates part of the association between specific personality traits and health-related outcomes.

scholarly journals Personality and Insomnia Symptoms in Older Adults: The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 578-579
Author(s):  
Darlynn Rojo-Wissar ◽  
Amal Wanigatunga ◽  
Eleanor Simonsick ◽  
Antonio Terracciano ◽  
Jennifer Schrack ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Sleep Disturbances ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
Five Factor Model ◽  
Baltimore Longitudinal Study ◽  
Insomnia Symptoms ◽  
Insomnia Severity

Abstract Personality and disturbed sleep are tied to medical morbidity in older adults. We examined associations of personality dimensions and facets from the five-factor model with reports of insomnia symptoms in 1,069 well-functioning older adults 60-97 (SD=8.64) years (51% women) from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Personality was assessed by the Revised NEO Personality Inventory, and insomnia symptoms measured by the Women’s Health Initiative Insomnia Rating Scale. Adjusting for demographics and depressive symptoms, higher neuroticism (B=0.05, SE=-0.01, p<.001) and lower conscientiousness (B=-0.03, SE=-0.01, p<.05) were associated with greater insomnia severity. Although openness, extraversion and agreeableness were not associated with insomnia, a facet of each was. Higher scores on the “positive emotions” facet of extraversion (B =-0.03, SE=-0.01, p<.05) “ideas” facet of openness (B=-0.03, SE=-0.01, p<.05) and altruism facet of agreeableness (B=-0.03, SE=-0.01, p<.05) were associated with lower insomnia severity. Sleep disturbances may partially mediate personality’s influence on health. Part of a symposium sponsored by the Sleep, Circadian Rhythms and Aging Interest Group.

scholarly journals Association Between Non-Iron-Deficient Anemia and Insomnia Symptoms in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

2017 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 380-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lenis P Chen-Edinboro ◽  
Laura E Murray-Kolb ◽  
Eleanor M Simonsick ◽  
Luigi Ferrucci ◽  
Richard Allen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Iron Deficient ◽  
Baltimore Longitudinal Study ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults ◽  
Insomnia Symptoms

scholarly journals 663 Improved Sleep After a Brief Intervention for Insomnia Mediates Improvements in Depression Symptoms During the COVID-19 Pandemic

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A259-A259
Author(s):  
Kathleen O’Hora ◽  
Mateo Lopez ◽  
Allison Morehouse ◽  
Andrea Cordero ◽  
Raquel Osorno ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Outcome Measures ◽  
Symptom Severity ◽  
Post Treatment ◽  
Symptom Improvement ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Insomnia Symptom ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Insomnia Symptoms ◽  
Rate Of Improvement

Abstract Introduction The COVID-19 Pandemic and mitigation efforts have led to drastic increases in acute insomnia symptoms, which left untreated may contribute to increased risk for other negative mental health outcomes, including depression. However, the impact of treating acute insomnia symptoms on future depression outcomes remains unknown. Moreover, whether sleep improvements as a result of an insomnia treatment mediate subsequent reduction of depression symptoms similarly remains unknown. Methods At this writing, 44 individuals experiencing insomnia symptoms (Insomnia Severity Index; ISI ≥ 10) that began during the COVID-19 pandemic have been randomized to receive a brief, telehealth Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBTI) waitlist control. Treatment was delivered in 4 sessions over a 5-week period. CBTI is the gold-standard behavioral intervention for chronic insomnia and has been applied successfully via telemedicine. Outcome measures were depressive symptoms as measured by the Patient Health Questionnare-9 (PHQ-9) minus the sleep item and insomnia symptom severity as measured by the ISI. Both outcome measures were collected at baseline (week 0), throughout treatment phase (weeks 2–6), and at the post-treatment (week 7). Linear mixed models determined the impact of treatment on depression and insomnia symptom severity. Mediation was tested using the MacArthur framework. Results There was a significant Group x Time interaction, with CBTI leading to a greater rate of improvement in ISI (b = -1.14, p < 0.001) and PHQ-9 (b = -0.61, p = 0.002) than the control. Critically, the rate of improvement in insomnia symptoms to the last session of treatment, was associated with the subsequent improvement in depressive symptoms post-treatment (b = 2.06, p = 0.017). In contrast, depressive symptom improvement was not associated with insomnia symptom improvement (b = 4.28, p = 0.102). Conclusion This preliminary data suggests that brief CBTI can reduce pandemic onset insomnia and other depressive symptoms. The preliminary mediation results further suggest that sleep may be an important treatment target for reducing situational depressive symptoms and supports the need to examine the physiological mechanisms of sleep using high-density EEG in a larger sample. Support (if any):

Insomnia Symptom Severity is Associated with Increased Suicidality and Death by Suicide in a Sample of Patients with Psychiatric Disorders

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zach Simmons ◽  
Gary Burlingame ◽  
Juergen Korbanka ◽  
Kevin Eastman ◽  
Douglas Thomas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Psychiatric Disorders ◽  
Suicidal Behavior ◽  
Symptom Severity ◽  
Suicide Attempts ◽  
Sleep Problems ◽  
Manner Of Death ◽  
Insomnia Symptom ◽  
History Of ◽  
Depressive Personality ◽  
Insomnia Symptoms

Abstract Study Objectives Insomnia is a risk factor for suicidal behavior including attempts and death by suicide. We investigated whether insomnia symptom severity was associated with suicidality and death by suicide in patients with psychiatric disorders. Methods The sample included 180 deceased patients with psychiatric disorders seen at Weber Human Services between 2008 and 2018 who completed the Outpatient Questionnaire-45.2 (OQ) prior to death. Insomnia symptom severity was assessed using item 41 from the OQ. Manner of death was determined by death records and autopsy reports. History of suicidality was determined through electronic medical records. Cases were grouped into 4 lifetime categories: non-suicidal (n=30), suicidal ideation (n=36), suicide attempt (n=95), and death by suicide (n=19). Demographic, medical, and psychiatric features of each group were compared using linear regression. Logistic regression was used to determine whether insomnia symptom severity was associated with lifetime suicidality severity grouping, adjusting for psychiatric disorders commonly linked to suicidality. Results Lifetime suicidality was associated with sleep problems, fatigue, headaches, and psychiatric disorders (i.e., depressive, personality, and trauma-related disorders). Referenced to the non-suicidal group, greater insomnia symptom severity was significantly associated with suicide attempts and death by suicide, with odds ratios (OR) of OR=2.67, p=0.011, and OR=5.53, p=0.002, respectively, even after adjusting important psychiatric diagnoses. Conclusions Results suggest that insomnia symptom severity endorsed during a clinical visit is associated with heightened suicidality, especially suicidal behavior. The presence of insomnia symptoms in patients with psychiatric disorders may indicate risk for suicide and is a target for suicide prevention.

scholarly journals Energy Metabolism and the Burden of Multimorbidity in Older Adults: Results From the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (11) ◽  
pp. 1297-1303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisa Fabbri ◽  
Yang An ◽  
Jennifer A. Schrack ◽  
Marta Gonzalez-Freire ◽  
Marco Zoli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Energy Metabolism ◽  
Baltimore Longitudinal Study

scholarly journals Differential associations between dual-task walking abilities and usual gait patterns in healthy older adults—Results from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

2018 ◽  
Vol 63 ◽  
pp. 63-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seung-uk Ko ◽  
Gerald J. Jerome ◽  
Eleanor M. Simonsick ◽  
Stephanie Studenski ◽  
Jeffrey M. Hausdorff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Dual Task ◽  
Gait Patterns ◽  
Healthy Older Adults ◽  
Baltimore Longitudinal Study

Longitudinal associations between insomnia symptoms and all-cause mortality among middle-aged and older adults: A population-based cohort study

SLEEP ◽  
2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asos Mahmood ◽  
Meredith Ray ◽  
Kenneth D Ward ◽  
Aram Dobalian ◽  
Sang Nam Ahn
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
The United States ◽  
Early Morning ◽  
Time Varying ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Insomnia Symptom ◽  
All Cause Mortality ◽  
Longitudinal Associations ◽  
Insomnia Symptoms

Abstract To date, there is no scientific consensus on whether insomnia symptoms increase mortality risk. We investigated longitudinal associations between time-varying insomnia symptoms (difficulty initiating sleep, difficulty maintaining sleep, early-morning awakening, and non-restorative sleep) and all-cause mortality among middle-aged and older adults during 14 years of follow-up. Data were obtained from 2004 through 2018 survey waves of the Health and Retirement Study in the United States for a population-representative sample of 15,511 respondents who were ≥50 years old in 2004. Respondents were interviewed biennially and followed through the end of the 2018 survey wave for the outcome. Marginal structural discrete-time survival analyses were employed to account for time-varying confounding and selection bias. Of the 15,511 cohort respondents (mean [±SD] age at baseline, 63.7 [±10.2] years; 56.0% females), 5,878 (31.9%) died during follow-up. At baseline (2004), 41.6% reported experiencing at least one insomnia symptom. Respondents who experienced one (HR=1.11; 95% CI: 1.03–1.20), two (HR=1.12; 95% CI: 1.01–1.23), three (HR=1.15; 95% CI: 1.05–1.27), or four (HR=1.32; 95% CI: 1.12–1.56) insomnia symptoms had on average a higher hazard of all-cause mortality, compared to those who were symptom-free. For each insomnia symptom, respondents who experienced difficulty initiating sleep (HR=1.12; 95% CI: 1.02–1.22), early-morning awakening (HR=1.09; 95% CI: 1.01–1.18), and nonrestorative sleep (HR=1.17; 95% CI: 1.09–1.26), had a higher hazard of all-cause mortality compared to those not experiencing the symptom. The findings demonstrate significant associations between insomnia symptoms and all-cause mortality, both on a cumulative scale and independently, except for difficulty maintaining sleep. Further research should investigate the underlying mechanisms linking insomnia symptoms and mortality.

scholarly journals 0135 Self-Reported Sleep and Gut Microbiome Composition and Diversity: Associations in Well-Functioning Older Adults

SLEEP ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A53-A53
Author(s):  
C Holingue ◽  
N T Mueller ◽  
T Tanaka ◽  
M K Differding ◽  
C W Chia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Sleep Duration ◽  
Relative Abundance ◽  
Gut Microbiome ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Microbiome Composition ◽  
Microbiome Diversity ◽  
Falling Asleep ◽  
Insomnia Symptoms

Abstract Introduction The gut microbiome is believed to play an important role in health and disease, yet little is known about the link between sleep and the gut microbiome in humans. We investigated the association of self-reported sleep with gut microbiome composition and diversity in a cohort of well-functioning older adults. Methods We studied 791 participants (mean age = 71.5±12.0 years, 55% women) in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging with self-report sleep measures and whole-genome DNA sequencing of stool samples. Predictors (modeled as continuous variables) included insomnia symptoms from the Women’s Health Initiative Insomnia Rating Scale (WHIIRS), sleep duration (<5, 5–6, 6–7, >7 hours), and frequency of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). We tested their association with gut microbiome diversity (Shannon index) and relative abundance of individual taxa using Kendall Tau Correlation. Next, we assessed whether these sleep variables were associated with overall microbiome structure (Bray-Curtis), adjusting for age, sex, race, education, BMI, depressive symptoms, and number of comorbidities. Results Sleep duration was associated with overall microbiome composition (p<0.01), with longer sleep duration associated with lower biodiversity of microbes in the gut (p<0.05). In phylum-level analyses, higher WHIIRS total (i.e., more severe insomnia) was associated with lower relative abundance of Actinobacteria, while more frequent EDS was associated with lower relative abundance of Fusobacteria. More frequent trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, early waking, poorer sleep quality and higher WHIIRS total were associated with lower abundance of Synergistetes (all p<0.05). Conclusion In well-functioning older adults, self-reported sleep duration, symptoms of insomnia, and EDS were associated with microbiome diversity and composition. The phylum Synergistetes, which has been associated with protective humoral immune response in prior literature, may be an important correlate of insomnia symptoms in older adults. Future investigations are needed to examine the gut microbiome as a driver or mediator of sleep-health associations. Support This study was supported in part by National Institute on Aging (NIA) grant R01AG050507, the NIA Intramural Research Program (IRP), and Research and Development Contract HHSN-260-2004-00012C.

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