Is there an association between sleep quality and magnitude of capability?

Purpose: Given the stigma surrounding mental health, a discussion of how symptoms interfere with sleep might be a useful first step to identify unhelpful thoughts or feelings of distress. We asked: 1) Does sleep quality have an association with magnitude of incapability and pain intensity independent of mental health? and 2) Are mental health factors associated with sleep quality? Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of one hundred and fifty-four patients seeking musculoskeletal care who completed measures of magnitude of capability, pain intensity, unhelpful thoughts regarding symptoms (catastrophic thinking, negative pain thoughts), distress (symptoms of anxiety and depression), and sleep disturbance. We tested factors associated with the magnitude of capability and pain intensity, accounting for sleep quality and mental health in multivariable models. Results: Accounting for potential confounding in multivariable analysis, lower magnitude of capability was independently associated with greater sleep disturbance, more unhelpful thoughts about symptoms (negative pain thoughts), and older age. Greater pain intensity was independently associated with greater unhelpful thoughts about symptoms (catastrophic thinking) and not using of an electronic device before bed. Greater sleep disturbance was independently associated with use of sleep medication, greater symptoms of anxiety, and greater unhelpful thoughts regarding symptoms (PCS). Conclusion: Given the observation that sleep disturbance is associated with feelings of anxiety, clinicians can consider starting mental health discussions by focusing on sleep quality. App and web-based cognitive behavioral therapy-based treatments for sleep are readily available and have the potential to improve mental health.& COPY; 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study aims to explore the relationship between sleep quality and mental health. The results show that lower magnitude of capability is associated with poorer sleep quality, negative pain thoughts, and older age. Greater pain intensity is associated with negative symptom thinking (catastrophic thinking) and not using electronic devices before bed. Poor sleep quality is associated with the use of sleep medication, symptoms of anxiety, and negative symptom thinking. These findings suggest a close relationship between sleep quality and mental health, and improving mental health through focusing on sleep quality.