Objectives: Sleep problems increase in later life. Studies have linked sleep with marital satisfaction, yet mechanisms, such as mood, have not been explored. The current study is innovative in examining sleep and marital interactions among older couples in a daily context, exploring mood as a potential mediator.
Method: Data were taken from the Life and Family Legacies Daily Experiences Study, involving 191 older couples surveyed across 14 days. Multivariate (dyadic) multilevel models were used to address our research questions.
Results: Findings indicated significant associations between daily sleep hours, sleep quality, and feeling rested with daily marital interactions. These associations were most consistent for wives. Mediation analyses indicated that positive mood was a common mechanism linking sleep with marital interactions. Also, in some cases, spouse sleep and mood reports were associated with partner marital interactions.
Discussion: Improving sleep quality among older couples could lead to better daily marital interactions through changes in mood.