title: Sleep disturbances and suicidal ideation in sleep medical center patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this investigation was two-fold: first, we examined associations between suicidal ideation, maladaptive sleep patterns and abnormal sleep behaviors in a sleep center population, an understudied population in the domain of suicide research; and then, we explored whether significant associations remained after accounting for the possible influence of depressive symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were analyzed from intake information obtained from 1584 adult patients presenting at a community-based private sleep medical center. The sample was parsed into a Suicidal Ideation (SI) group (N=211) and No Suicidal Ideation (NSI) group (N=1373). Comparisons of these groups were made on measures of self-reported sleep complaints, habits, and behaviors, suicidal ideation, depressive symptoms, and associated psychopathology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately 13% of participants reported suicidal ideation. Clinically significant suicidal ideation was present in 4.5% of the sample. Compared to the NSI group, the SI group showed a pervasive pattern of significantly greater frequency or severity of sleep problems in areas of insomnia, nightmares and other parasomnia behaviors, poor sleep quality, and sleep-related psychophysiologic conditioning as well as worse sleep-related impairment and quality of life. Several relationships were significant after controlling for depressive symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Suicidal ideation was consistently associated with a broad array of sleep complaints, even when controlling for level of depressive symptoms. As these self-reported sleep disturbances are treatable sleep disorders, future research should examine the efficacy of sleep and behavioral medicine for reducing the risk of suicidal ideation.
authors.affiliation: Sleep & Human Health Institute, Albuquerque, NM, USA. bkrakow@sleeptreatment.com
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Krakow
authors.forename: Jessica D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Victor A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Ulibarri
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Krakow
authors.forename: Thomas E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Joiner
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins; D006801:Humans; D019476:Insect Proteins; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: C071697:Chi t I allergen; D006454:Hemoglobins; D019476:Insect Proteins