Examining the Associations Between Objectively Measured Sleep Quality and Multidimensional Mental Health in Older Adults

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the associations between objective sleep quality parameters and multidimensional mental health, including depression and quality of life (QoL), in community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: The data came from an ongoing cross-sectional study involving older adults aged ≥60, residing in an urban city. Nighttime sleep metrics were derived from wrist-worn actigraphy (ActiGraph-GT9X). Domain-specific QoL and depression were assessed using the standardized WHO-QoL-BREF and CES-D scales, respectively. Correlation and regression analyses examined the associations of interest, and subgroup analyses explored sex-specific patterns. RESULTS: Among 47 participants [mean age = 70.3 ± 6.1 years; female = 53.2%], most participants had short total sleep time (TST; mean = 6.8 h). Significant associations were observed between sleep quality and mental health (rs = .4), with TST serving as a significant predictor of the QoL-Physical [β (95% CI) = 0.005 (0.0001-0.011), p = .042] and QoL-Social [β (95% CI) = 0.005 (0.0001, 0.010), p = .039]. Associations between TST and the QoL-Psychological [β (95% CI) = 0.008 (0.0001-0.017), p = .047] and QoL-Social [β (95% CI) = 0.011 (0.001-0.021), p = .036] were significant only in males. CONCLUSION: Actigraphy-measured sleep quality, particularly increased TST, was associated with better domain-specific mental health in older adults, with patterns differing by sex. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: These findings underscore the need for targeted strategies to promote adequate sleep and well-being in the older population.