title: Predicting sleep quality from stress and prior sleep--a study of day-to-day covariation across six weeks.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The connection between stress and sleep is well established in cross-sectional questionnaire studies and in a few prospective studies. Here, the intention was to study the link between stress and sleep on a day-to-day basis across 42 days.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty participants kept a sleep/wake diary across 42 days and responded to daily questions on sleep and stress. The results were analyzed with a mixed model approach using stress during the prior day to predict morning ratings of sleep quality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that bedtime stress and worries were the main predictors of sleep quality, but that, also, late awakening, short prior sleep, high quality of prior sleep, and good health the prior day predicted higher sleep quality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stress during the day predicts subsequent sleep quality on a day-to-day basis across 42 days. The observed range of variation in stress/worries was modest, which is why it is suggested that the present data underestimates the impact of stress on subsequent sleep quality.
authors.affiliation: Stress Research Institute, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden. torbjorn.akerstedt@stressforskning.su.se
authors.forename: Torbjörn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Åkerstedt
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Orsini
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Axelsson
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lekander
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kecklund
mesh_terms: D056044:Actigraphy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012890:Sleep; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult