Racial variations in excessive daytime sleepiness depend on measurement
According to a research abstract that will be presented on Monday, June 8, at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, white Americans are more likely to report experiencing excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) more days per month than Asians, African Americans and Hispanics, but African Americans experience more severe EDS. Results indicate that of all racial groups in the study, white participants were most likely to report feeling excessively sleepy for more than five days a month. Of the total sample, 18.4 percent of white Americans reported EDS, as compared to 12.1 percent of Chinese, 14.3 percent of African Americans and 16.8 percent of Hispanics. The study also found that according to the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), a questionnaire used to measure the frequency of dozing off during the daytime, African Americans experienced higher rates of EDS than other racial groups. Of the total study, 13 percent of African Americans, 7.9 percent of whites, 7.7 percent of Chinese and 9.3 percent of Hispanics experience daytime sleepiness.
According to lead author of the study Kelly Glaze Baron, PhD, postdoctoral fellow, at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago, Ill., the largest factor that explained higher EDS in African Americans was differences in physical health, including being more likely to be overweight and having higher rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure. African Americans also reported to sleeping for less hours than other racial groups, which also contributes to higher rates of sleepiness.
These results have public health implications. "If African Americans are less likely to report feeling overly sleepy but more likely to have pathological sleepiness, they may be less likely to get treatment for sleep disorders," said Baron.
The study included data from 5,173 men and women with an average age of 66.4 years. Of the total sample, 40.7 percent of participants were white, 11.3 percent were Chinese, 26.2 percent were African American and 21.3 percent were Hispanic. Demographic information, health behavior (exercise and smoking), physical health and medications, sleep (self reported sleep time, diagnosis with sleep disturbance symptoms), depression, social support and chronic burden were collected. EDS was measured through self report of frequency (more than five days per month) and the ESS.
Authors of the study claim that feeling overly sleepy takes into account attitudes, values and comparisons to family and friends. Findings of this study indicate that dozing off during the daytime has a stronger relationship to current health status.
Source: American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Articles on the same topic
- Caffeine intake prevents risk taking after extreme sleep deprivation15 years ago
- Less than half of older Americans get the recommended 8 hours of nightly sleep15 years ago
- Study shows a bidirectional relationship between chronic stress and sleep problems15 years ago
- Socioeconomic status, gender and marital status influence sleep disturbances15 years ago
- Older adults less affected by sleep deprivation than younger adults during cognitive performance15 years ago
- Parental presence at bedtime may result in sleep difficulties15 years ago
- Link found between poor sleep quality and increased risk of death15 years ago
- Poor sleep is associated with lower relationship satisfaction in both women and men15 years ago
- First-time moms' exhaustion caused by sleep fragmentation, rather than timing of sleep15 years ago
- Rheumatoid arthritis is associated with poor sleep in women15 years ago
- Naps with rapid eye movement sleep increase receptiveness to positive emotion15 years ago
- Stable marriage is linked with better sleep in women15 years ago
- Adolescent obesity linked to reduced sleep caused by technology use and caffeine15 years ago
- Cognitive behavioral therapy is an effective treatment for chronic insomnia15 years ago
- Genetic link found between stress-induced sleep loss and intrusive thinking15 years ago
- Playing a high resistance wind instrument may reduce risk for sleep apnea in musicians15 years ago
- Later parental-mandated bedtimes for teens linked to depression and suicidal thoughts15 years ago
- Meditation may be an effective treatment for insomnia15 years ago
- Insomnia with short sleep duration is a risk factor for diabetes15 years ago
- Obstructive sleep apnea patients have increased occurrences of parasomnia symptoms15 years ago
- Obstructive sleep apnea prevalent in nonobese patients15 years ago
- Insomnia suffers need increased brain activation to maintain normal daily function15 years ago
- Nightmares predict elevated suicidal symptoms15 years ago
- Evening chronotype in high school students is linked with lower college GPA15 years ago
- Study links primary insomnia to a neurochemical abnormality15 years ago
- Long and short sleep durations are associated with increased risk for diabetes15 years ago
- Excessive gaming associated with poor sleep hygiene and increased sleepiness15 years ago
- Genetic link found between anxiety, depression and insomnia15 years ago
- Insomnia with objective short sleep duration in men is associated with increased mortality15 years ago
- Men who work with their female partners more likely to adhere to CPAP therapy15 years ago
- Problem solving and coping styles related to CPAP adherence15 years ago
- Race and short sleep duration increase the risk for obesity15 years ago
- Sleep disorders are largely underdiagnosed in pediatric patients15 years ago
- Sleep restriction results in weight gain despite decreases in appetite and consumption15 years ago
- Relationship found between napping, hyperactivity, depression and anxiety15 years ago
- Television watching before bedtime can lead to sleep debt15 years ago
- Study finds regular daily exercise does not increase total sleep time15 years ago
- Study shows sleep extension improves athletic performance and mood15 years ago
Other sources
- Better sleep is associated with improved academic successfrom Physorg15 years ago
- First-time moms' exhaustion caused by sleep fragmentation, rather than timing of sleepfrom Physorg15 years ago
- Parental presence at bedtime may result in sleep difficultiesfrom Science Blog15 years ago
- Poor sleep is associated with lower relationship satisfaction in both women and menfrom Science Blog15 years ago
- First-time moms' exhaustion caused by sleep fragmentation, rather than timing of sleepfrom Science Blog15 years ago
- Rheumatoid arthritis is associated with poor sleep in womenfrom Science Blog15 years ago
- Naps with rapid eye movement sleep increase receptiveness to positive emotionfrom Science Blog15 years ago
- Stable marriage is linked with better sleep in womenfrom Science Blog15 years ago
- Rheumatoid arthritis is associated with poor sleep in womenfrom Physorg15 years ago
- Older adults less affected by sleep deprivation than younger adults during cognitive performancefrom Physorg15 years ago
- Insomnia With Objective Short Sleep Duration In Men Is Associated With Increased Mortalityfrom Science Daily15 years ago
- Adolescent obesity linked to reduced sleep caused by technology use and caffeinefrom Physorg15 years ago
- Later parental-mandated bedtimes for teens linked to depression and suicidal thoughtsfrom Physorg15 years ago
- Genetic link found between stress-induced sleep loss and intrusive thinkingfrom Physorg15 years ago
- Insomnia suffers need increased brain activation to maintain normal daily functionfrom Science Blog15 years ago
- Evening chronotype in high school students is linked with lower college GPAfrom Science Blog15 years ago
- Nightmares predict elevated suicidal symptomsfrom Science Blog15 years ago
- Study links primary insomnia to a neurochemical abnormalityfrom Science Blog15 years ago
- Genetic Link Found Between Anxiety, Depression And Insomniafrom Science Daily15 years ago
- Regular Daily Exercise Does Not Increase Total Sleep Timefrom Science Daily15 years ago
- Study Shows Sleep Extension Improves Athletic Performance And Moodfrom Science Daily15 years ago
- Television Watching Before Bedtime Can Lead To Sleep Debtfrom Science Daily15 years ago
- Study shows sleep extension improves athletic performance and moodfrom Science Blog15 years ago
- Study shows sleep extension improves athletic performance and moodfrom Physorg15 years ago
- Study finds regular daily exercise does not increase total sleep timefrom Physorg15 years ago
- Television watching before bedtime can lead to sleep debtfrom Physorg15 years ago
- Race and short sleep duration increase the risk for obesityfrom Physorg15 years ago
- Sleep disorders are largely underdiagnosed in pediatric patientsfrom Physorg15 years ago
- Racial variations in excessive daytime sleepiness depend on measurementfrom Physorg15 years ago
- Relationship found between napping, hyperactivity, depression and anxietyfrom Physorg15 years ago
- Men who work with their female partners more likely to adhere to CPAP therapyfrom Physorg15 years ago
- Insomnia with objective short sleep duration in men is associated with increased mortalityfrom Physorg15 years ago
- Genetic link found between anxiety, depression and insomniafrom Physorg15 years ago
- Long and short sleep durations are associated with increased risk for diabetesfrom Physorg15 years ago
- Excessive gaming associated with poor sleep hygiene and increased sleepinessfrom Physorg15 years ago