Population Study on the Predictors of Sleeping Difficulties in Young Australian Women

Gender disparity in sleep difficulties in young adults may be driven by higher rates of affective disorders in women. This article investigated a range of factors as potential predictors of "difficulty sleeping" in 9,061 women aged 24 to 30 years, using survey data. Regression analyses and odds ratios showed that depression and anxiety symptoms were indeed the greatest predictors of difficulty sleeping. However, 4 variables (binge-drinking, lower qualifications, dissatisfaction with excessive weight, and a history of abuse) also made significant contributions to sleep difficulty when a range of other variables (including depression and anxiety symptoms) were statistically controlled. Affective problems often predict sleep difficulties in young women, but other predictors are also significant and not necessarily intertwined with anxiety and depression.