Noise Sensitivity Associated with Nonrestorative Sleep in Chinese Adults: A cross-sectional Study
Abstract Background: Nonrestorative sleep (NRS) is associated with various psychological and physical health issues. Noise exposure and noise sensitivity have been proposed to contribute to NRS. This study aimed to examine the relationship between noise, noise sensitivity, NRS, and physiological sleep parameters among Chinese adults.Methods: A cross-sectional household study was conducted with Chinese adults in Hong Kong. We administered a battery of questionnaires, including the Nonrestorative Sleep Scale and the Weinstein Noise Sensitivity Scale for assessing NRS and noise sensitivity, respectively, as well as other instruments for assessing sociodemographics, lifestyle factors, social support, somatic symptoms, stress, anxiety, and depression. Nocturnal noise level was measured for one week by a noise dosimeter. Physiological sleep parameters were also measured by actigraphy during the night-time for a week.Results: A total of 500 (66.4% female) adults with an average age of 39 years participated in this study. There was no significant association between nocturnal noise and NRS (b = -0.09, 95% CI: -0.28, 0.10). However, one unit increase of noise sensitivity was associated with 0.08 increase in NRS (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.01, 0.15), both on a 0–100 scale, after adjusting for sociodemographics, lifestyle factors, nocturnal noise, social support, somatic symptoms, stress, anxiety, and depression. This relationship remained after adjusting for sleep parameters. Nevertheless, nocturnal noise was significantly negatively associated with total time in bed (b = -1.46, 95% CI: -2.51, -0.40), and total sleep time (b = -1.26, 95% CI: -2.18, -0.34). None of the obtained physiological sleep parameters were associated with NRS.Conclusions: NRS was associated with noise sensitivity while physiological sleep parameters were influenced by nocturnal noise level.