Financial Hardship and Sleep Quality Among Black American Women With and Without Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE: To compare dimensions of financial hardship and self-reported sleep quality among Black women with versus without systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: Participants were 402 Black women (50% with validated diagnosis of SLE) living in Georgia between 2017 and 2020. Black women with SLE were recruited from a population-based cohort established in Atlanta, and Black women without SLE were recruited to be of comparable age and from the same geographic areas as SLE women. Financial hardship was measured using three different scales: financial adjustments, financial setbacks, and financial strain. Sleep was assessed continuously using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scale. Each dimension of financial hardship was analyzed separately in SLE-stratified multivariable linear regression models and adjusted by sociodemographic and health status factors. RESULTS: Dimensions of financial hardship were similarly distributed across the two groups. Sleep quality was worse in Black women with, versus without, SLE (p < .001). Among Black women with SLE, financial adjustment was positively associated with a 0.40-unit increase in poor sleep quality (95% CI = 0.12-0.67, p = .005). When accounting for cognitive depressive symptoms, financial setbacks and strain were somewhat attenuated for Black women with SLE. Overall, no associations between financial hardships and sleep quality were observed for the women without SLE. CONCLUSIONS: Black women with SLE who experience financial hardships may be more at risk for poor sleep quality than Black women without SLE. Economic interventions targeting this population may help improve their overall health and quality of life.

Sleep health inequities in vulnerable populations: Beyond sleep deserts.

Despite the importance of sleep to overall health and well-being, there is a high prevalence of undiagnosed sleep disorders and adverse sleep health, particularly among vulnerable populations. Such vulnerable populations include people experiencing homelessness (PEH), refugees, and incarcerated individuals. In this narrative review, we provide an overview of the literature on sleep health and disorders among key and vulnerable populations (e.g., PEH, refugees, and incarcerated individuals). The limited research among these populations indicated a high prevalence of sleep disorders, mainly insomnia, short sleep duration, and fatigue. Substance abuse and PTSD were commonly found among PEH and refugee populations, respectively, which were was related to poor sleep. Similar across the included vulnerable populations, the individuals reside in environments/facilities with inopportune light exposure, noise disruption, inadequate bedding, and forced sleep schedules. Studies also found a high prevalence of psychosocial stress and reports of threats to safety, which were associated with poor sleep health outcomes. Additionally, several studies reported environmental barriers to adherence to sleep disorder treatment. This paper highlighted the conditions in which these vulnerable populations reside, which may inform interventions within these various facilities (homeless shelters, refugee camps, prisons/jails). The improvement of these facilities with a sleep equity focus may in turn improve quality of life and daily functioning.

Perceived childhood neighborhood safety and sleep health during childhood and adulthood among a cohort of African American women.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate associations between perceived childhood neighborhood safety and sleep over the life course. METHODS: Among a cohort of 1693 Black/African American women aged 23-35 years at enrollment (2010-2012), participants recalled neighborhood safety (safe vs. unsafe) when they were 5, 10, and 15 years old. Participants' mothers/caregivers and participants reported sleep-related health behaviors at age 5. We used ordinal logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for sleep-related health behaviors (i.e., rarely/never or sometimes vs. mostly/always going to bed by 8:00 p.m., bed in a quiet room, bed in a dimly lit or unlit room), separately. Adulthood sleep duration and insomnia symptoms were reported at enrollment and over three follow-up periods. We applied generalized estimating equations to log binomial regression models to estimate relative risks (RR) for adulthood sleep characteristics. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Four percent of participants reported an unsafe neighborhood at age 5 years, only, and 12% reported an unsafe neighborhood at all ages. Participants in perceived unsafe vs. safe neighborhoods at age 5 had higher odds of poor sleep-related health behaviors (e.g., rarely/never or sometimes going to bed in a quiet room: OR = 1.73 [1.27-2.35]). Participants in perceived unsafe vs. safe neighborhoods throughout childhood had higher risk of short sleep (RR = 1.10 [1.02-1.18]) and insomnia symptoms (RR = 1.07 [1.00-1.15]) during adulthood after adjustment for life course socioeconomic characteristics and adulthood health behaviors and characteristics. Perceived unsafe childhood neighborhood was associated with poorer sleep over the life course and may serve as an early intervention target.

Sleep Apnea and Incident Stroke in a National Cohort of Black and White Adults.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Racial/ethnic differences have been documented in the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and stroke incidence, yet racial differences in OSA symptoms or treatment and their relationship with stroke incidence are underexplored and may contribute to stroke disparities. We comprehensively examined OSA symptoms and their relationships to stroke incidence by race/ethnicity. METHODS: Data were collected from the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, a population-based cohort of Black and White individuals in the United States. Participants free from a stroke diagnosis at baseline were included. Participants self-reported the following: (1) snoring; (2) daytime sleepiness; (3) provider-diagnosed sleep apnea (PDSA); and (4) treatment for PDSA using positive airway pressure (PAP). OSA risk was categorized as high or low based on the Berlin Sleep Questionnaire. Incident stroke was defined as first occurrence of stroke over an average of 12 (SD 3.9) years of follow-up. We report the relationships between snoring, OSA risk, PDSA, PAP therapy use, and incident stroke by race/ethnicity using Cox proportional hazards models after adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic factors and stroke risk factors. RESULTS: Among the 22,192 participants (mean age [SD] 64.2[9.1] years), 38.1% identified as Black. Overall, snoring was not associated with incident stroke (hazard ratio [HR] 0.98, 95% CI 0.85-1.13). However, among White individuals but not Black individuals, high OSA risk and PDSA were associated with incident stroke (HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.01-1.47; HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.04-1.70, respectively). PAP therapy use among those with PDSA (compared with non-PDSA) was associated with incident stroke in White individuals (HR 1.38, 95% CI 1.05-1.80). PAP therapy use among those with PDSA (compared with those with PDSA without PAP therapy use) was associated with reduced risk of incident stroke in Black (HR 0.39, 95% CI 0.17-0.91) but not White (HR 0.63, 95% CI 0.37-1.10) individuals. DISCUSSION: White individuals with high OSA risk and those with PDSA with or without PAP therapy use were at increased incident stroke risk, whereas Black individuals reporting PDSA and PAP had reduced incident stroke risk relative to those not using PAP. Future research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying racial differences in OSA and stroke such as differences in assessment modes and treatment.

Heart Rate Variability, Deceleration Capacity of Heart Rate, and Death: A Veteran Twins Study.

BACKGROUND: Autonomic function can be measured noninvasively using heart rate variability (HRV), which indexes overall sympathovagal balance. Deceleration capacity (DC) of heart rate is a more specific metric of vagal modulation. Higher values of these measures have been associated with reduced mortality risk primarily in patients with cardiovascular disease, but their significance in community samples is less clear. METHODS AND RESULTS: This prospective twin study followed 501 members from the VET (Vietnam Era Twin) registry. At baseline, frequency domain HRV and DC were measured from 24-hour Holter ECGs. During an average 12-year follow-up, all-cause death was assessed via the National Death Index. Multivariable Cox frailty models with random effect for twin pair were used to examine the hazard ratios of death per 1-SD increase in log-transformed autonomic metrics. Both in the overall sample and comparing twins within pairs, higher values of low-frequency HRV and DC were significantly associated with lower hazards of all-cause death. In within-pair analysis, after adjusting for baseline factors, there was a 22% and 27% lower hazard of death per 1-SD increment in low-frequency HRV and DC, respectively. Higher low-frequency HRV and DC, measured during both daytime and nighttime, were associated with decreased hazard of death, but daytime measures showed numerically stronger associations. Results did not substantially vary by zygosity. CONCLUSIONS: Autonomic inflexibility, and especially vagal withdrawal, are important mechanistic pathways of general mortality risk, independent of familial and genetic factors.

The association between Superwoman schema and subjective sleep quality among Black women.

OBJECTIVES: Similar to women overall, Black women are socialized to be communal and "self-sacrificing," but unlike women from other racial/ethnic backgrounds, Black women are also socialized to be "strong" and "invulnerable." This phenomenon is labeled Superwoman schema. This study examined associations between Superwoman schema endorsement and subjective sleep quality. METHODS: Participants included 405 Black women (ages 30-46). Superwoman schema was measured using a 35-item scale capturing five dimensions: obligation to present strength, suppress emotions, resistance to vulnerability, motivation to succeed, and obligation to help others. Superwoman schema overall and the five dimensions/subscales were analyzed. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to investigate overall subjective sleep quality (range: 0-19), poor sleep quality (PSQI >5), and specific sleep domains (eg, sleep duration, sleep disturbances). We fit linear and binary logistic regression models, adjusting for health-related and sociodemographic factors. RESULTS: Superwoman schema dimension obligation to help others was associated with lower overall subjective sleep quality (ß: .81, 95%CI=0.29, 1.32) and poor sleep quality (OR: 1.55, 95%CI=1.10, 2.19), as well as bad subjective sleep quality (OR: 1.76, 95%CI=1.18, 2.66), sleep disturbances (ß: .73, 95%CI =0.07, 1.41), and daytime sleepiness (OR: 2.01, 95%CI=1.25, 3.26). Suppress emotions (OR: 1.41, 95%CI=1.01, 1.99) was associated with poor subjective sleep quality. Superwoman schema overall was associated with daytime sleepiness (OR: 2.01, 95%CI=1.06, 3.82). CONCLUSION: Superwoman schema endorsement, especially obligation to help others and suppress emotions, may be important psychosocial risk factors for Black women's sleep health.

Eyes Wide Open: Sleep as a Potential Contributor to Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Cancer.

U.S. racial and ethnic minoritized groups face disproportionate cancer burdens compared to White Americans. Investigating modifiable factors, such as sleep, that are socially patterned and inequitably distributed by race and ethnicity may advance understanding of cancer disparities and provide intervention opportunities. Emerging data suggest poor sleep health is associated with cancer. Yet, its contribution to racial and ethnic cancer disparities is understudied. In this narrative review, we explored the sleep-cancer relation through a disparities lens. We (i) summarized literature reporting on associations between sleep and cancer among racial and ethnic minority populations; (ii) examined potential sleep-cancer mechanisms; and (iii) discussed future directions. We identified five studies reporting on sleep-cancer associations among minoritized groups. Poor sleep health was associated with aggressive breast cancer among Black women, increased breast cancer risk among Asian women, and increased risk of breast and total cancer among Hispanic/Latinx Americans. Sleep and cancer disparities have similar socioeconomic and behavioral determinants, suggesting racial and ethnic minoritized groups may be vulnerable to poor sleep health and its adverse health impacts. Evidence indicates that the sleep-cancer disparities relation is an emerging, but important area of research that warrants further investigation, as sleep may be an avenue for reducing cancer disparities.

Racial/ethnic and sex differences in the association between light at night and actigraphy-measured sleep duration in adults: NHANES 2011-2014.

OBJECTIVE: Historically minoritized individuals experience greater exposure to light at night, yet it is unclear whether the association between light at night and sleep duration vary by race/ethnicity or sex. We examined the association between light at night and sleep duration by race/ethnicity and sex. METHODS: Participants (N = 6089, mean age=49.5, 52% women, 13% Asian, 27% Black, 14% Mexican, 46% White) in the 2011-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey underwent 9-day of actigraphy. Light at night was defined as light exposure within the 5-hour activity nadir (L5). Sleep duration within a 24-hour period was analyzed as short (<7 hours) or long (>9 hours) compared to recommended (≥7 and <9 hours). Poisson models were fit to estimate the association between light at night and sleep duration after adjustment for covariates. RESULTS: Light at night was most common among Black participants, who also had the shortest sleep duration. Overall, light at night was associated with 80% higher prevalence of short sleep duration [1.80 (1.49, 2.18)]. Compared to no-light at night, low and high light at night were associated with higher prevalence of short sleep duration, [1.61 (1.31, 1.98) and 2.01 (1.66, 2.44), respectively]. Associations varied by race/ethnicity and sex. Light at night was associated with shorter sleep duration in Black, Mexican and White females and Mexican and White males only. Black males exposed to light at night vs. no-light at night had lower prevalence of long sleep duration. There were no associations between light at night and sleep duration among Asian participants. CONCLUSION: Light at night was associated with shorter sleep duration, particularly among females. Targeting light exposure may help to improve sleep duration.

Impact of School Start Time Delays and Learning Modality on Sleep Timing and Duration During COVID-19.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of a school start time (SST) delay on adolescent sleep health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether there were differences by learning modality. METHODS: Data were collected from a longitudinal study evaluating sleep, education, and health among high school students in Georgia in 2020. Paired t-tests and multivariable linear regression analyses were conducted to examine changes in sleep duration and timing among 9th grade students (n = 134) and their association with the learning modality (remote vs. in-person learner). RESULTS: Students' school day wake times were 1.5 hours later, school night sleep duration was 1.2 hours longer, and social jetlag was 0.9 hours shorter after the school start time delay (all P < .05). The learning modality was a significant predictor of changes in sleep timing but was not associated with changes in sleep duration. CONCLUSIONS: Delayed school start time was associated with positive changes in adolescent sleep health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sleep timing was affected by the learning modality, however in-person and virtual students had similar gains in sleep duration. Learning modality may be more beneficial for adolescents with early school start times to promote healthier sleep habits.

Discrimination Predicts Suboptimal Adherence to CPAP Treatment and Mediates Black-White Differences in Use.

BACKGROUND: Although racial and ethnic differences in CPAP adherence for OSA are widely established, no studies have examined the influence of perceived racial discrimination on CPAP usage, to our knowledge. RESEARCH QUESTION: (1) Do Black adults with OSA report experiencing greater amounts of discrimination than non-Hispanic White adults? (2) Is discrimination associated with poorer CPAP adherence over time, independent of self-identified race? (3) Does discrimination mediate the relationship between self-identified Black race and CPAP usage? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In this prospective study, Black and non-Hispanic White adults with OSA initiating CPAP were enrolled from two sleep centers and completed questionnaires including sociodemographics, perceived discrimination, daytime sleepiness, insomnia symptoms, and depressive symptoms. Perceived discrimination was measured using the Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS). Black and White group comparisons for baseline sociodemographic variables, sleep symptoms, and perceived discrimination were performed with Student t test or χ2/Fisher exact test, as appropriate. A linear regression model was completed with self-identified Black race and EDS total score as the primary independent variables of interest and mean daily CPAP usage at 30 and 90 days serving as the dependent outcomes. This regression modeling was repeated after adjusting for psychosocial variables known to be associated with CPAP usage. EDS total score was explored as a potential mediator of the association between self-identified Black race and mean daily CPAP adherence at 30 and 90 days. RESULTS: The sample for this analysis consisted of 78 participants (31% female, 38% Black) with a mean age of 57 ± 14 years. Sixty percent of the Black adults reported they experienced racial discrimination at least a few times each year. Relative to White adults, Black adults were also more likely to indicate more than one reason for discrimination (27% vs 4%, P = .003). Adjusting for discrimination, self-identified Black race was associated with 1.4 (95% CI, -2.3 to -0.4 h; P = .006) and 1.6 (95% CI, -2.6 to -0.6 h; P = .003) fewer hours of mean daily CPAP usage at 30 and 90 days, respectively. In the fully adjusted model, a 1-unit change in the total discrimination score (more discrimination) was associated with a 0.08-h (95% CI, 0.01-0.15 h; P = .029) and 0.08-h (95% CI, 0.01-0.16 h; P = .045) change in mean daily CPAP usage at 30 and 90 days, respectively. INTERPRETATION: Adults with OSA who encountered racial discrimination experienced greater decrement in CPAP usage than those who did not experience racial discrimination.

Addressing sleep deserts: A proposed call for action.

Sleep deserts are a major cause of health inequity. They occur primarily in disadvantaged neighborhoods because of structural racism, social and environmental factors, and dearth of medical services. We describe several strategies that can serve as a feasible action plan to target structural racism, environmental pollution, and impact of climate change. We also suggest ways healthcare providers in these underserved areas can incorporate sleep medicine into their practice. Lastly, we highlight strategies to increase community awareness of sleep health in a culturally sensitive manner. There are several ways, from a policy level to healthcare that we can begin to eliminate sleep deserts, which is urgently needed.

The Association of Sleep Duration with Grade Point Averages and Absences Among 9th Graders in Georgia, USA.

This study aimed to examine the association between sleep measures (self-reported sleep duration and weekend catch-up sleep) and grade point average (GPA) and absences among 9th grade students from two racially and economically diverse high schools in a semi-rural county of north-central Georgia. Linear and Poisson regression models estimated the association between sleep measures and GPA and absences (separately), respectively. Analyses adjusted for gender, race/ethnicity, free/reduced-price school lunch status, and parental education. Sleep duration was significantly associated with both GPA and absences, such that for every one additional hour of sleep, GPA increased by 0.8 percentage points (b=0.8, 95% CI:0.1,1.5) while the number of absences was lower by 6% (b=-0.05; OR=0.94, 95% CI:0.91,0.98). Weekend catch-up sleep was also significantly and positively associated with absences (b=0.04; OR=1.04, 95% CI; 1.02, 1.07). Increasing sleep may be a strategy to improve GPA and reduce absences among teenagers. Future research should identify effective measures to lengthen sleep.

Attitudes and beliefs about sleep health among a racially and ethnically diverse sample of overweight/obese adults.

OBJECTIVES: To identify and compare how sleep-related attitudes and beliefs vary among racially and ethnically diverse adults with risk factors for cardio-metabolic disease. METHODS: This exploratory qualitative study used online focus group discussions (N = 4 groups among 17 individuals) to collect information about sleep attitudes, beliefs, and practices following participation in the Mindfulness Intervention to Improve Sleep and Reduce Diabetes Risk Among a Diverse Sample in Atlanta (MINDS) study. A rapid analyses approach was used to identify shared themes related to attitudes and beliefs about sleep health and sleep practices across participants. RESULTS: Participants on average were 31years old, 88% female, and identified as Black/African American (52.9%), White (17.7%), Asian (11.8%), and Hispanic (17.7%). Three themes related to attitudes and beliefs about sleep health were identified: prioritization of sleep to improve one's overall health, re-evaluating sleep needs, and interpersonal barriers to sleep. For Black/African American participants prioritizing sleep was coupled with a want to minimize stress as a long-term health promotion strategy, whereas individuals of other races/ethnicities were more focused on the immediate benefits of getting sufficient sleep. Individuals had reappraised their sleep needs and worked to improve their sleep hygiene accordingly, yet still experienced barriers to sleep. The most common barrier to sleep was sharing a sleep environment with someone who had conflicting sleep routines and practices. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest perceived benefits of and barriers to sleep vary by race/ethnicity, thus future interventions should be culturally tailored to enhance effectiveness.

Rest-activity rhythms across the lifespan: cross-sectional findings from the US representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Rest-activity rhythms (RAR) may mark development, aging, and physical and mental health. Understanding how they differ between people may inform intervention and health promotion efforts. However, RAR characteristics across the lifespan have not been well-studied. Therefore, we investigated the association between RAR measures with demographic and lifestyle factors in a US nationally representative study. METHODS: RAR metrics of interdaily stability (IS), intradaily variability (IV), relative amplitude (RA), and mean amplitude and timing of high (M10) and low (L5) activity were derived from 2011 to 2012 and 2013 to 2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) actigraphy data. Population-weighted linear and logistic regression models were fit to examine the associations of age, gender, smoking, alcohol, season, body mass index (BMI), income-to-poverty ratio, and race/ethnicity with RAR. Significance was based on a false-discovery rate-corrected P-value of <0.05. RESULTS: Among n = 12 526 NHANES participants (3-≥80 years), IS (higher = greater day-to-day regularity) and RA (higher = greater rhythm strength) generally decreased with age and were lower among males, whereas IV (higher = greater rhythm fragmentation) increased with age (p < 0.05). Dynamic changes in RAR trajectories were observed during childhood and adolescence. Income, BMI, smoking, and alcohol use were associated with RAR metrics, as well as season among children and teenagers (p < 0.05). RAR also differed by race/ethnicity (p < 0.05), with trajectories initially diverging in childhood and continuing into adulthood. CONCLUSIONS: RAR differed by demographic and health-related factors, representing possible windows for public health intervention and sleep health promotion. RAR differences by race/ethnicity begin in childhood, are evident in early adolescence, and persist throughout adulthood.

Is exposure to chemical pollutants associated with sleep outcomes? A systematic review.

Environmental exposures may influence sleep; however, the contributions of environmental chemical pollutants to sleep health have not been systematically investigated. We conducted a systematic review to identify, evaluate, summarize, and synthesize the existing evidence between chemical pollutants (air pollution, exposures related to the Gulf War and other conflicts, endocrine disruptors, metals, pesticides, solvents) and dimensions of sleep health (architecture, duration, quality, timing) and disorders (sleeping pill use, insomnia, sleep-disordered breathing)). Of the 204 included studies, results were mixed; however, the synthesized evidence suggested associations between particulate matter, exposures related to the Gulf War, dioxin and dioxin-like compounds, and pesticide exposure with worse sleep quality; exposures related to the Gulf War, aluminum, and mercury with insomnia and impaired sleep maintenance; and associations between tobacco smoke exposure with insomnia and sleep-disordered breathing, particularly in pediatric populations. Possible mechanisms relate to cholinergic signaling, neurotransmission, and inflammation. Chemical pollutants are likely key determinants of sleep health and disorders. Future studies should aim to evaluate environmental exposures on sleep across the lifespan, with a particular focus on developmental windows and biological mechanisms, as well as in historically marginalized or excluded populations.