Objectives: This study examined associations among neighborhood disadvantage, all-night respiratory sinus arrhythmia, fear of sleep, nightmare frequency, and sleep duration in a sample of trauma-exposed Veterans.
Methods: Participants completed baseline assessments and slept on a mattress actigraphy system for seven nights. Neighborhood disadvantage was assessed with the Area Deprivation Index, a census-based socioeconomic index. Differences between the least and most disadvantaged groups on the sleep variables were analyzed.
Results: Data were available from 37 Veterans. Residing in neighborhoods with greater disadvantage was associated with elevated fear of sleep and reduced sleep-period respiratory sinus arrhythmia. No significant differences were observed for nightmare frequency or sleep duration. A regression confirmed that neighborhood context had a significant effect on respiratory sinus arrhythmia, after controlling for other baseline sleep variables.
Conclusions: In this sample of Veterans, sleep context may increase hypervigilance in turn serving as a mechanism by which trauma-induced sleep disruptions are maintained.
Keywords: Actigraphy; Environment; Nightmares; Veterans.
Published by Elsevier Inc.