Too much or too little sleep increases risk of infection

Short-term or long-term self-report sleepy Duration, chronic insomnia, chronic insomnia disorder, and chronic sleep disturbance were associated with higher prevalence of infections and higher use of antibiotics, supporting an association between sleep and infections. ing. The forefront of psychiatry.

This study was conducted because of growing evidence that sleep disturbances and short sleep duration increase the risk of infection. , few studies have used validated instruments to assess sleep disturbances.

Researchers therefore investigated whether chronic insomnia disorder, chronic sleep disturbance, sleep duration, and self-reported circadian preferences are associated with infection risk and antibiotic use in patients visiting general practitioners (GPs). was trying to evaluate

“Sleep is a key determinant of health and well-being. Insomnia is the most common sleep problem with a prevalence of 10-20% of the general population. , the prevalence of insomnia has been found to be as high as 54%,” the authors say.

Researchers conducted a cross-sectional study of 1848 unselected patients who underwent GP in 2020. The patient completed her one-page questionnaire while waiting at the GP’s office. The questionnaire included the validated Bergen Insomnia Scale (BIS), self-reported questions. – Sleep disturbances, sleep duration, and circadian preferences were assessed, and whether the patient had an infection or antibiotic use in the past 3 months.

The majority of patients (60.6%) were female, with a mean age of 52 years.

Chronic insomnia disorder based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition) (DSM-5) criteria were found in 48.3% of participants, and 46.9% met criteria for chronic sleep disturbance.

After analyzing the questionnaire with modified Poisson regression, the risk of infection was found to be 25% (95% CI, relative risk). [RR], 1.11–1.46) was 44% higher in those who slept less than 6 hours compared with those who slept 7–8 hours (95% CI, 1.12–1.84). Patients with chronic insomnia and chronic sleep disorders were also found to be at increased risk of infection. Antibiotic use was higher in patients who slept less than 6 hours of her sleep and in those with chronic insomnia or chronic sleep disturbances.

Patients who slept less than 6 hours or more than 9 hours and those with chronic sleep disturbances were at increased risk of gastrointestinal infections.

Researchers were surprised to find no statistically significant association with respiratory infection (RTI) risk. This has been found in other studies, some of which included provider-diagnosed pneumonia rather than self-reports. Their study may have been limited by the small sample size compared to these other studies and the fact that their study did not include specific types of RTIs.

Additionally, the study did not include clinical assessments of sleep problems, chronotypes, or infections, and researchers did not know why patients visited their GP. and the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic may have made patients more aware of respiratory infections, but at the same time, infection control measures have reduced the prevalence of common RTIs. It may have even declined.

Overall, however, the findings indicate that sleep may be a target in developing measures to prevent infections and reduce antibiotic use.

“Further longitudinal studies in patients in the general population and in general practice are needed, as well as clinical studies of the impact of insomnia treatment on infection risk. Data on potential differences may provide important clues about potential underlying mechanisms,” the authors concluded.

reference

Forthun I, Eliassen KER, Emberland KE, Bjorvatn B. Associations with patient self-reported sleep disturbances, infections, and antibiotic use in general practice. Front PsychiatryPublished online on March 2, 2023. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1033034