Community-dwelling adults with functional limitations are at greater risk for sleep disturbances

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate whether sleep disturbances vary along a continuum of functional limitations in a large nationally representative sample of US adults.

Methods: Using 2014-2015 National Health Interview Survey data (n = 33,424), we considered associations between each of 5 sleep disturbance measures (duration, trouble falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, use of sleep medications, waking rested) and Functional Limitations Index score, which distinguishes among adults with little-or-no (least-limited), moderate (somewhat-limited), and high functional limitations (most-limited).

Results: Somewhat-limited and most-limited respondents reported significantly worse sleep health for all sleep disturbance measures than people with little-or-no limitations, even controlling for body mass index, psychological distress, and 14 health indicators.

Conclusions: People with significant self-reported limitations in physical functioning, independent of specific disabilities or disabling condition, report more sleep disturbances. Clinicians may want to evaluate the sleep health of patients with functional limitations.

Keywords: Functional limitations; National Health Interview Survey; disability; screener; sleep disturbance.