Dysphoric mood may explain the relation between sleep reactivity and binge eating but not purging

Objective: This study investigated whether sleep reactivity (i.e., a propensity to experience sleep disturbances when stressed) relates to eating disorder behavioral symptoms indirectly through dysphoric mood in a sample of college students. Participants: One hundred and ninety-eight college students (51.5% female). Methods: Participants completed self-report measures of dysphoric mood, eating disorder behavioral symptoms, and sleep reactivity. Results: Higher sleep reactivity was associated with greater binge-eating symptoms indirectly through higher dysphoric mood. Higher sleep reactivity was associated with greater purging symptoms; however, this association was not explained by dysphoric mood. Conclusions: Findings support the relevance of sleep reactivity to binge eating and purging and suggest that sleep reactivity relates to binge-eating symptoms indirectly through dysphoric mood. If replicated in prospective data, targeting stress-induced sleep and mood disturbances in college students may reduce risk for binge eating.