Citation

Krakow B, Ribeiro JD, Ulibarri VA, Krakow J, Joiner TE. J. Affect. Disord. 2011; 131(1-3): 422-427.

Affiliation

Sleep & Human Health Institute, Albuquerque, NM, United States; Maimonides Sleep Arts & Sciences Ltd, Albuquerque, NM, United States; Los Alamos Medical Center Sleep Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jad.2010.12.001

PMID

21211850

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this investigation was two-fold: first, we examined associations between suicidal ideation, maladaptive sleep patterns and abnormal sleep behaviors in a sleep center population, an understudied population in the domain of suicide research; and then, we explored whether significant associations remained after accounting for the possible influence of depressive symptoms. METHOD: Data were analyzed from intake information obtained from 1584 adult patients presenting at a community-based private sleep medical center. The sample was parsed into a Suicidal Ideation (SI) group (N=211) and No Suicidal Ideation (NSI) group (N=1373). Comparisons of these groups were made on measures of self-reported sleep complaints, habits, and behaviors, suicidal ideation, depressive symptoms, and associated psychopathology. RESULTS: Approximately 13% of participants reported suicidal ideation. Clinically significant suicidal ideation was present in 4.5% of the sample. Compared to the NSI group, the SI group showed a pervasive pattern of significantly greater frequency or severity of sleep problems in areas of insomnia, nightmares and other parasomnia behaviors, poor sleep quality, and sleep-related psychophysiologic conditioning as well as worse sleep-related impairment and quality of life. Several relationships were significant after controlling for depressive symptoms. DISCUSSION: Suicidal ideation was consistently associated with a broad array of sleep complaints, even when controlling for level of depressive symptoms. As these self-reported sleep disturbances are treatable sleep disorders, future research should examine the efficacy of sleep and behavioral medicine for reducing the risk of suicidal ideation.

Language: en