Sleep Quality and Quality of Life in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between sleep quality and health-related and diabetes-related quality of life in adults with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Three hundred individuals with type 2 diabetes (mean age 63.9 years) completed questionnaires assessing sleep quality, health-related quality of life, diabetes-related quality of life, comorbidities, and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: More than half of the participants (55%) were "poor sleepers" according to the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. After controlling for covariates, poor sleep quality was found to be a significant predictor of lower health-related quality of life as indicated by lower scores on both the physical and mental component scores of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short Form health survey (SF-36). Poor sleep quality was also associated with worse diabetes-related quality of life, in particular lower scores on the Diabetes Quality of Life measure total score and the Satisfaction With Treatment and Diabetes Impact subscale scores. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that poor sleep is common in type 2 diabetes and may adversely impact quality of life. Interventions to improve sleep hygiene can be suggested to patients by diabetes educators as part of diabetes self-management education programs.