Sleep and quality of well-being.

BACKGROUND

It is commonly believed that sleep duration in the population has been declining gradually. Whereas sleep restriction in the laboratory induces sleepiness and mood disturbances, it is not certain whether a short sleep duration impairs the quality of everyday life.

METHODS

Using population-based data, we explored whether greater habitual sleep duration is a predictor of better health-related quality of life, measured by the Quality of Well-Being (QWB) scale. The relationships between QWB and several potential correlates were examined in a stepwise linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

Neither subjective nor actigraphic sleep duration were associated with QWB. Greater quality of well-being was associated with greater sleep satisfaction, younger age, less obesity, non-Hispanic White ethnicity, and greater experienced illumination.

CONCLUSION

These data suggest that increasing sleep duration may not directly improve quality of life, despite evidence that curtailment of nocturnal sleep is associated with fatigue.