Anxiety sensitivity and daily cigarette smoking in relation to sleep disturbances in treatment-seeking smokers

ABSTRACT

Although the association between anxiety and sleep disturbance is well-documented, the underlying mechanisms are less clear. Anxiety sensitivity (AS), the fear of physiological arousal and bodily sensations, is a risk factor for anxiety and poor sleep. Smoking also contributes to poor sleep and may compound the effects of AS on sleep quality. This study evaluated the main and interactive effects of AS and cigarettes/day on sleep quality among smokers. Participants (n = 190) were adult treatment-seeking daily smokers who completed a baseline assessment as part of a larger smoking cessation trial. Sleep quality was self-reported. Results indicated that AS was significantly correlated with greater disturbance in sleep duration, subjective sleep quality, sleep onset latency, sleep disturbance, daytime dysfunction, and sleep medication use. There was a significant interaction between AS and cigarettes/day in terms of sleep onset latency, but not other sleep quality indices. AS was associated with significantly longer sleep onset latency minutes among heavier smokers, but not lighter smokers. Specifically, the association between AS and sleep onset latency was significant for those who smoked ≥ 33 cigarettes/day. AS is a psychological factor that may contribute to poor sleep quality, especially in heavy smokers, and thus may be a promising intervention target.

KEYWORDS:

• Sleep
• nicotine
• anxiety psychopathology
• transdiagnostic

Disclosure statement

Drs. Farris, Matsko, Uebelacker, Price, and Abrantes have no disclosures to report. Dr. Brown has equity ownership in Health Behavior Solutions, Inc., which is developing products for tobacco cessation although not products directly related to this publication. The terms of this arrangement have been reviewed and approved by the University of Texas at Austin in accordance with its policy on objectivity in research.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a grant (R01CA173551) funded by the National Cancer Institute. The first author was supported by a grant (T32-HL076134-11) funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The funding sources had no involvement in the research other than financial support.