Assessment of Sleep Quality and its Relationship with Anxiety and Depression among Adults in Saudi Arabia
Hesham M. Alsharif
Corresponding Author
Family Medicine Senior Registrar, Alslamah Primary Health Care Center, Ministry of Health (MOH),
Taif City, Saudi Arabia
Email: hesham.sleepmedicin@gmail.com
Tel.: +966 54 641 5605
Abstract
Background: Although there is still little data on Saudi adults, poor sleep quality has been repeatedly linked to anxiety and depression. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality of sleep and investigate how it relates to anxiety and depression in Saudi Arabian individuals. Methods: A total of 385 Saudi Arabian participants participated in a cross-sectional study. A systematic questionnaire was used to gather sociodemographic data. The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) was used to measure the quality of sleep, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to measure anxiety and depression.
Results: The majority of participants were Saudi nationals (96.1%), married (79.2%), between the ages of 31 and 40 (55.3%), male (59.5%), and had a bachelor’s degree (64.9%). In total, 22.6% had clinically significant insomnia and 54.3% had subthreshold insomnia. The majority of subjects reported normal anxiety (68.6%) and depression (64.2%) scores. Participants who were between the ages of 31 and 40, married, had a bachelor’s degree, worked for the government, and lived in the Central region had a considerably higher prevalence of clinically significant insomnia (p<0.05). Clinically significant insomnia was substantially more common in participants with borderline or abnormal anxiety and depression (p<0.05). ISI scores showed a positive correlation with anxiety (r=0.38, p<0.001) and depression (r=0.35, p<0.001).
Conclusion: About 25% of Saudi adults suffer from clinically significant insomnia, which is linked to anxiety and depression. In basic healthcare settings, routine screening for psychological distress and sleep disorders may enable early detection and intervention.