Sleep and the affective response to stress and pain.
OBJECTIVE
The current study examined sleep disturbance (i.e., sleep duration, sleep quality) as a correlate of stress reactivity and pain reactivity.


METHODS
An ecological momentary assessment design was used to evaluate the psychosocial functioning of men and women with fibromyalgia or rheumatoid arthritis (N=49). Participants recorded numeric ratings of pain, the occurrence of a stressful event, as well as positive and negative affect 7 times throughout the day for 2 consecutive days. In addition, participants reported on their sleep duration and sleep quality each morning.


RESULTS
Sleep disruption was not found to be an independent predictor of affect. However, sleep was found to buffer the relationship between stress and negative affect and the relationship between pain and both positive and negative affect.


CONCLUSIONS
These results are consistent with a model in which good-quality sleep acts as a biobehavioral resource that minimizes allostatic load.
Hamilton
Nancy A
NA
Department of Psychology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA. nancyh@ku.edu
Catley
Delwyn
D
Karlson
Cynthia
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007615:Kansas; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D012890:Sleep; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires