Sex Differences in Subjective Sleep Quality Patterns in Schizophrenia

ABSTRACT

Objective/Background

Sleep dysfunction is prevalent among patients with schizophrenia. Although sex differences have been identified in schizophrenia, sex differences in sleep patterns among patients with schizophrenia are not established. Therefore, the current study examined sex differences in subjective sleep quality patterns in people with schizophrenia utilizing a standardized inventory.

Participants

Study sample consisted of 75 patients with schizophrenia and 82 healthy controls (HC).

Methods

Participants completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).

Results

Compared to HC, patients with schizophrenia were more likely to report being poor sleepers (PSQI global score > 5), longer sleep duration, more sleep disturbances, longer sleep onset latency, increased daytime dysfunction due to poor sleep, and more frequent use of sleep medications. Regarding sex differences, female patients were more likely to report being poor sleepers and endorsed more sleep disturbances than female HC, while male patients reported longer sleep duration, more daytime dysfunction, and poorer overall sleep quality relative to male HC. Additionally, higher level of sleep dysfunction was linked to higher symptom severity in male patients only.

Conclusions

Patients with schizophrenia endorsed a range of sleep difficulties, and male and female patients with schizophrenia differ compared to their HC counterparts. Implications for treatment of sleep complaints among patients with schizophrenia are discussed.

Disclosure statement

Dr. Wickwire’s institution has received research funding from Merck and ResMed. Dr. Wickwire has served as a scientific consultant for DayZz, Merck, and Purdue, and is an equity shareholder in WellTap. Dr Rowland has served as a consultant for Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. All other authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (R01MH094520 and R01MH096263).