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Sleep Disturbance and Cortisol Levels Linked
Sleep; ePub 2017 Mar 9; Morgan, et al
Actigraph measures of sleep disturbance are associated with higher daytime cortisol among older adults, according to a recent study. However, cross-sectional data cannot distinguish causal direction or whether cortisol and sleep disruption have a common cause. Salivary cortisol samples and actigraphy sleep data were collected from a random subsample of participants in the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project, a nationally-representative probability sample of adults aged 62-90 (n=672). Sleep characteristics were derived from wrist actigraphy (fragmentation, Wake After Sleep Onset [WASO], and duration) and from survey responses about usual sleep duration and sleep problems. Researchers found:
- From actigraphy, both higher fragmentation score and longer WASO were significantly associated with higher daytime cortisol; sleep duration was not.
- Self-reported sleep duration and sleep problems were also not associated with cortisol.
Morgan E, Schumm P, McClintock M, Waite L, Lauderdale DS. Sleep characteristics and daytime cortisol levels in older adults. [Published online ahead of print March 9, 2017]. Sleep.10.1093/sleep/zsx043.