title: Perceived Immune Status and Sleep: A Survey among Dutch Students.
abstract: Reduced immune functioning may have a negative impact on sleep and health, and vice versa. A survey among Dutch young adults (18-35 years old) was administered to collect information on perception of reduced immunity and its relationship to sleep disorders, sleep duration, and quality. Sleep disorders were assessed with the SLEEP-50 questionnaire subscales of sleep apnea, insomnia, circadian rhythm disorder, and daily functioning. Dutch young adults (N = 574) completed the survey. Among them, subjects (N = 209; 36.4%) reported perceived reduced immunity. Relative to those with a normal immune status, subjects reporting reduced immunity had significantly higher scores (p = 0.0001) on sleep apnea (2.6 versus 3.6), insomnia (5.1 versus 6.8), and circadian rhythm disorder (2.1 versus 2.7). Subjects reporting reduced immunity also had significantly poorer daily functioning scores (5.4 versus 7.6, p = 0.0001). No differences were observed in total sleep time, but those reporting reduced immunity had significantly poorer ratings of sleep quality (6.8 versus 7.2, p = 0.0001). Our findings suggest that perceived reduced immunity is associated with sleep disturbances, impaired daily functioning, and a poorer sleep quality. Experimental studies including the assessment of immune biomarkers and objective measures of sleep (polysomnography) should confirm the current observations.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, Netherlands ; Sleep Disorders and Research Center, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
authors.forename: Anouk A M T
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Donners
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marilou D P
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Tromp
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, Netherlands ; Nutricia Research, Uppsalalaan 12, 3584 CT Utrecht, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Garssen
authors.affiliation: Sleep Disorders and Research Center, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, Netherlands ; Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC 3122, Australia.
authors.forename: Joris C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Verster