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Sleep quality and self-regulation

The interaction between strong state orientation and high neuroticism predicts poor sleep quality

Schlafqualität und Selbststeuerung

Die Interaktion aus ausgeprägter Lageorientierung und Neurotizismus ist prädiktiv für schlechte Schlafqualität

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Abstract

Background

Sensitivity to negative affect is considered the central defining characteristic of neuroticism and has been found to be associated with poor sleep quality.

Objectives

Following recent theories distinguishing between sensitivity to negative affect and the capacity to self-regulate affective states, this study aimed at demonstrating the potential impact of affect regulation on sleep quality.

Materials and methods

A total of 178 participants varying in their sleep quality participated in an Internet-based questionnaire study assessing sleep quality, neuroticism, self-regulating coping style (action/state orientation), and a series of control variables.

Results

In line with assumptions, individuals scoring high in neuroticism were only impaired in sleep quality if they were also characterized by a state-oriented coping style or—stated differently—the negative impact of neuroticism on sleep quality could be dampened by higher action orientation. The effect remained after controlling for depression, anxiety, and age.

Conclusions

The results preliminarily highlight the importance of self-regulation, i. e., affect regulation, in the understanding of poor sleep quality.

Zusammenfassung

Hintergrund

Die Empfindsamkeit gegenüber negativem Affekt wird als zentrales, definierendes Charakteristikum für Neurotizismus angesehen und geht einher mit schlechter selbstberichteter Schlafqualität.

Fragestellung

Nach neueren Theorien, die zwischen affektiver Sensitivität und Affektregulation unterscheiden, möchte die vorgestellte Studie die Bedeutung dieser Unterscheidung für das Verständnis schlechter Schlafqualität untersuchen.

Material und Methoden

Insgesamt nahmen N = 178 Versuchspersonen mit unterschiedlicher Schlafqualität an einer internetbasierten Umfrage teil. Erfasst wurden Schlafqualität, Neurotizismus, die Selbststeuerungsfähigkeit (Handlungs‑/Lageorientierung) und eine Reihe von Kontrollvariablen.

Ergebnisse

Erwartungsgemäß waren Teilnehmende mit hohen Neurotizismuswerten nur dann in ihrer Schlafqualität beeinträchtigt, wenn sie sich gleichzeitig durch einen lageorientierten Coping-Stil auszeichnen. Somit konnte der negative Einfluss von Neurotizismus auf die Schlafqualität durch einen stärker handlungsorientierten Coping-Stil ausgeglichen werden. Die Ergebnisse blieben auch nach Kontrolle von Depression, Angst und Alter bestehen.

Diskussion

Die Ergebnisse geben erste Hinweise auf die Relevanz von Selbst- bzw. Affektregulation für das Verständnis schlechter Schlafqualität.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Psychology, Heinrich Heine University, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany

    Annika Gieselmann & Reinhard Pietrowsky

  2. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy Lab, Westphalian Wilhelms University of Münster, Fliednerstraße 21, 48149, Münster, Germany

    Renate de Jong-Meyer

Authors
  1. Annika Gieselmann
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  2. Renate de Jong-Meyer
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  3. Reinhard Pietrowsky
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Annika Gieselmann.

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Conflict of interest

A. Gieselmann, R. de Jong-Meyer and R. Pietrowsky declare that they have no competing interests.

All procedures performed in the reported study involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments.

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Gieselmann, A., de Jong-Meyer, R. & Pietrowsky, R. Sleep quality and self-regulation. Somnologie 22, 2–9 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11818-017-0137-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11818-017-0137-1

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