title: Changes in Sleep Duration, Quality, and Medication Use Are Prospectively Associated With Health and Well-being: Analysis of the UK Household Longitudinal Study.
abstract: Sleep is a plausible target for public health promotion. We examined the association of changes in sleep with subsequent health and well-being in the general population.
  
  
  
  We analyzed data from the UK Household Longitudinal Survey, involving 30594 people (aged > 16) who provided data on sleep and health and well-being at both Wave 1 (2009-2011) and Wave 4 (2012-2014) assessments. Predicting variables were changes in sleep quantity, sleep quality, and sleep medication use over the 4-year period. Outcome variables were the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12) mental (MCS) and physical (PCS) component scores at Wave 4. Linear regression on each outcome was fully adjusted for potential confounders and baseline values of the relevant predicting and outcome variables.
  
  
  
  Better outcomes were associated with an increase in sleep duration (GHQ: β = 1.031 [95% confidence interval {CI}: -1.328, -0.734]; MCS: 1.531 [1.006, 2.055]; PCS: -0.071 [-0.419, 0.56]), sleep quality (GHQ: β = -2.031 [95% CI: -2.218, -1.844]; MCS: 3.027 [2.692, 3.361]; PCS: 0.924 [0.604, 1.245]), and a reduction in sleep medication use (GHQ: β = -1.929 [95% CI: -2.400, -1.459]; MCS: 3.106 [2.279, 3.933]; PCS: 2.633 [1.860, 3.406]). Poorer outcomes were on the other hand associated with a reduction in sleep duration, a decrease in sleep quality, and an increase in sleep medication use. Changes in sleep quality yielded the largest effects on the health and well-being outcomes.
  
  
  
  Changes in sleep were temporally associated with subsequent health and well-being. Initiatives that aim to protect a critical amount of sleep, promote sleep quality, and reduce sleep medication use may have public health values.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
authors.forename: Nicole K Y
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fiecas
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
authors.forename: Esther F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Afolalu
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wolke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D000068776:Sleep Aids, Pharmaceutical / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013997:Time Factors; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D000068776:Sleep Aids, Pharmaceutical
keywords: health; longitudinal; prevention; prospective; psychological functioning; public health; sleep; well-being