Analyzing the effect of sleep duration, chronotype, and social jet lag on anxiety disorders and health-related quality of life: A cross-sectional study.

Abstract

BackgroundAnxiety disorders significantly impair the quality of life (QOL). Studies on the effect of sleep duration, chronotype, and social jet lag on anxiety disorders are limited. This study aimed to elucidate the contributions of sleep duration, chronotype, and social jet lag to the prevalence and severity of anxiety disorders in Koreans.MethodsThis study used data of 9,874 Korean adults from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2021-2022. Anxiety was assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale, and health-related QOL was measured using the Health-Related Quality of Life Instrument with 8-Items. Complex sample logistic regression models were used to evaluate the associations between sleep duration, chronotype, and social jet lag and anxiety disorders, with analyses stratified by sex.ResultsSleep duration of 2 h were significantly associated with a high prevalence of anxiety disorders in women; however, in men, only sleep duration of ConclusionThis study highlights the importance of adequate sleep and circadian alignment for mental health, particularly in women. Public health initiatives should focus on promoting healthy sleep habits to improve mental health and QOL. Further research is required to understand the causal pathways and sex-specific mechanisms underlying these associations.