Stronger Associations Between Sleep and Mental Health in Adults with Autism: A UK Biobank Study

Lisa-Marie Henderson; Michelle C St Clair; Vic Knowland; Elaine Van Rijn; A. Sarah Walker; Gareth Gaskell

doi:10.1007/s10803-021-05382-1

Stronger Associations Between Sleep and Mental Health in Adults with Autism: A UK Biobank Study

Lisa-Marie Henderson, Michelle C St Clair, Vic Knowland, Elaine Van Rijn, A. Sarah Walker, Gareth Gaskell

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This study examined sleep and its cognitive and affective correlates in adults with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD), utilizing UK Biobank data. There were no group differences in subjective sleep duration [n = 220 ASD; n = 2200 general population (GP)]. Accelerometer measures of sleep duration or nighttime activity did not differ by group, but sleep efficiency was marginally lower in ASD (n = 83 ASD; n = 824 GP). Sleep efficiency was associated with wellbeing and mental health, and pathways between accelerometer sleep measures and wellbeing and mental health were significantly stronger for adults with ASD (who also reported substantially poorer wellbeing and > 5 × likelihood of experiencing mental distress). These findings highlight the need to monitor sleep to maintain good mental health in adult ASD.

Original language	English
Journal	Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-05382-1
Publication status	Published - 3 Dec 2021

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© The Author(s) 2021
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Cite this

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title = "Stronger Associations Between Sleep and Mental Health in Adults with Autism: A UK Biobank Study",

abstract = "This study examined sleep and its cognitive and affective correlates in adults with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD), utilizing UK Biobank data. There were no group differences in subjective sleep duration [n = 220 ASD; n = 2200 general population (GP)]. Accelerometer measures of sleep duration or nighttime activity did not differ by group, but sleep efficiency was marginally lower in ASD (n = 83 ASD; n = 824 GP). Sleep efficiency was associated with wellbeing and mental health, and pathways between accelerometer sleep measures and wellbeing and mental health were significantly stronger for adults with ASD (who also reported substantially poorer wellbeing and > 5 × likelihood of experiencing mental distress). These findings highlight the need to monitor sleep to maintain good mental health in adult ASD.",

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AU - St Clair, Michelle C

AU - Knowland, Vic

AU - Van Rijn, Elaine

AU - Walker, A. Sarah

AU - Gaskell, Gareth

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AB - This study examined sleep and its cognitive and affective correlates in adults with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD), utilizing UK Biobank data. There were no group differences in subjective sleep duration [n = 220 ASD; n = 2200 general population (GP)]. Accelerometer measures of sleep duration or nighttime activity did not differ by group, but sleep efficiency was marginally lower in ASD (n = 83 ASD; n = 824 GP). Sleep efficiency was associated with wellbeing and mental health, and pathways between accelerometer sleep measures and wellbeing and mental health were significantly stronger for adults with ASD (who also reported substantially poorer wellbeing and > 5 × likelihood of experiencing mental distress). These findings highlight the need to monitor sleep to maintain good mental health in adult ASD.

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