Sleep and physical activity: a survey of people with inflammatory arthritis and their engagement by health professionals in rheumatology in Ireland

Abstract

Purpose: Sleep is important in maintaining the body’s circadian rhythm and in maintaining health. Aim was to investigate sleep and physical activity among people who have inflammatory arthritis and their engagement with Health Professionals.

Materials and methods: Members from a national charitable organisation for patients with arthritis and a national rheumatology health professionals society were invited to participate in separate cross-sectional surveys hosted on SurveyMonkey^(R)TM.

Results: Ninety people responded and report an average of 5.7 (SD 1.46) hours sleep per night. A majority (61%) report their sleep quality as bad, with 31% taking medications at least once a week to help sleep. There was a statistically significant association between longer years with symptoms, taking medication at least once a week and limited in their activities, when rating their sleep quality as bad. Twenty eight (65%) health professional’s responded with 53% discussing sleep with their patients.

Conclusions: People with inflammatory arthritis report low sleep with those having symptoms longer, taking medications regularly and having limitations with their activities, reporting poorer sleep quality. Only half of health professionals discuss sleep. More research is needed in investigating poor sleep quality, disturbances, and physical activity in order to promote health and well-being in this population.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• People with inflammatory arthritis fall far below the National Sleep Foundations’ “sleep needs spectrum”, which is concerning as those who have reduced levels of sleep have been associated with decreased quality of life and physical function.

• Due to the importance of receiving sufficient sleep, there is a need to develop education and training for health professionals in the importance of engaging their patients in their sleep quality and disturbances.

• The effects of physical activity interventions on poor sleep need to be examined to show if it is a positive non-pharmacological treatment approach for the management of poor sleep in patients with inflammatory arthritis.

Keywords:

• Inflammatory arthritis
• sleep
• physical activity
• exercise
• health professional

Acknowledgements

Sean McKenna reports receipt of an Irish Research Council (IRC) scholarship (GOIPG/2016/58), during the conduct and writing up of this study.

Disclosure statement

All authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

Sean McKenna reports receipt of an Irish Research Council (IRC) scholarship (GOIPG/2016/58), during the conduct and writing up of this study.