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Sleep quality in relation to perceived psychological stress in patients with type 2 diabetes and in age- and sex-matched control individuals

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Abstract

Aim

To assess sleep quality in relation to perceived stress in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and age- and sex-matched controls.

Methods

Perceived stress level and sleep quality assessed in 154 patients with T2DM (58 men, 96 women, age 58.3 ± 11.9 years), 154 matched controls (58 men, 96 women, age 56.8 ± 12.2 years) using Perceived Stress Scale and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.

Results

Patients with T2DM had worse subjective sleep quality (p < 0.001), sleep latency (p = 0.047) than controls. Patients with high stress level had worse subjective sleep quality (p = 0.027), higher use of sleeping medication (p = 0.023), daytime dysfunction (p < 0.001) than those with low stress level. No significant differences in sleep quality between controls with high and low perceived stress level. Perceived stress level in patients with T2DM correlated with subjective sleep quality (r = 0.260, p = 0.002), sleep duration (r = 0.228, p = 0.005), use of sleep medication (r = 0.245, p = 0.004), daytime dysfunction (r = 0.326, p < 0.001), in age- and sex-matched controls—to daytime dysfunction (r = 0.191, p = 0.037).

Conclusion

Sleep quality (subjective sleep quality, sleep latency) is worse in patients with type 2 diabetes than in age- and sex-matched controls. Patients with high perceived stress level have worse subjective sleep quality, higher use of sleeping medication, daytime dysfunction than patients with low perceived stress level; no significant differences in sleep quality between controls with high and low stress level. Perceived stress level in patients with type 2 diabetes is related to subjective sleep quality, sleep duration, use of sleep medication, daytime dysfunction, in age- and sex-matched controls—to daytime dysfunction.

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Correspondence to Lina Lašaitė.

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The authors declare that they have no financial, or non-financial competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article. The research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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The study was approved by Kaunas Regional Ethics Committee of Biomedical Research (2007-11-06, No BE-2-47). The investigation was carried out in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.

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All procedures were carried out with adequate understanding and written consent of the participants of the study.

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Lašaitė, L., Radzevičienė, L. Sleep quality in relation to perceived psychological stress in patients with type 2 diabetes and in age- and sex-matched control individuals. Acta Diabetol 61, 781–790 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00592-024-02261-w

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