Comparison of self-reported sleep sufficiency and accelerometer-measured sleep duration in relation to mental health, physical health, and life satisfaction

Introduction Sleep is crucial for health and wellbeing, but different dimensions of sleep may affect health differently. This cross-sectional study explores the associations of self-reported sleep sufficiency and accelerometer-measured sleep duration with mental health, physical health, and life satisfaction. Materials and methods Data from 1,022 individuals (age ≥16 years) from the Danish Health and Morbidity Survey in 2023 were used. Mental and physical health were assessed using the SF-12 questionnaire, and life satisfaction with the Cantril Ladder scale. Multiple adjusted linear regression models were used to examine associations separately and in four combined categories: (1) low sufficiency, <7/>9 h ( n = 106), (2) low sufficiency, 7–9 h ( n = 89), (3) high sufficiency, <7/>9 h ( n = 271), and (4) high sufficiency, 7–9 h ( n = 556). Results Deviations from recommended sleep durations (<7 or >9 h) and low sleep sufficiency were associated with poorer mental health, physical health and life satisfaction, most strongly for mental health and life satisfaction. Specifically, individuals sleeping 7–9 h with low perceived sleep sufficiency had mental health scores of 10.9 points (95% CI: −13.2; −8.6) lower than those sleeping 7–9 h and reporting high sleep sufficiency. Similarly, those sleeping <7/>9 h and reporting low sleep sufficiency had mental health scores 8.5 points (95% CI: −10.8; −6.3) lower. Conclusion Regardless of sleep duration, low sleep sufficiency was consistently associated with poorer health outcomes, suggesting that self-reported sleep sufficiency may be more correlated to health than accelerometer-measured sleep duration alone. These findings underscore the need to integrate multiple sleep dimensions and measurement strategies into public health surveillance.