Sleep timing : variability and stability, influences, and outcomes

Sleep timing, i.e., chronotype, can be conceptualised as mid-sleep which is the mid-point between sleep onset and wake-up time. This thesis aims to further explore the construct by assessing changes in sleep timing, the influence of the five-factor model (FFM) personality traits on sleep timing, and the influence of sleep timing on subjective well-being (outcome). The thesis uses data from an experience sampling study of British university students and a large-scale sample of participants from the Estonian Biobank. Chapter 2 assesses the intraindividual variability of mid-sleep, using a two-week long sleep diary, and temporal stability of mid-sleep on free and workdays of up to five years, by examining their test-retest correlations. Chapter 3 examines the relationship between the FFM personality traits and chronotype on the phenotypic and genetic level using personality and chronotype questionnaires and polygenic scores. Participants of the experience sampling study also provided multiple daily measures of subjective well-being (Chapter 4) allowing the analysis of the influence of sleep timing and other sleep indicators on subjective well-being. The intraindividual variability of mid-sleep was smaller than the interindividual variability of mid-sleep once the effect of free and workdays was accounted for. The temporal stability of mid-sleep on both free and workdays was strong, but largely dependent on participants’ age. The FFM personality traits and chronotype were related at all three levels of the personality hierarchy (i.e., domains, facets, and items) and seemed to share underlying genetic mechanisms. Sleep satisfaction, but not sleep timing, influenced all three components of next day’s subjective well-being. The findings of the thesis offer a wide range of practical implications which could lead to an overall improvement of people’s well-being. The thesis closes with directions for future studies that can dive deeper into better understanding sleep timing and its associated factors and outcomes

The influence of sleep on subjective well-being: An experience sampling study

Previous research has associated sleep with subjective well-being (SWB), but less is known about the underlying within-person processes. In the current study, we investigated how self-reported and actigraphy-measured sleep parameters (sleep onset latency, sleep duration, sleep satisfaction, social jetlag, and sleep efficiency) influence SWB (positive affect [PA], negative affect [NA], and life satisfaction [LS]) at the within- and between-person levels. Multilevel analyses of data from 109 university students who completed a 2-week experience sampling study revealed that higher within-person sleep satisfaction was a significant predictor of all three components of next day's SWB (ps < .005). Higher between-person sleep satisfaction was also related to higher levels of PA and LS (ps < .005), whereas shorter self-reported between-person sleep onset latency was associated with higher PA and LS, and lower NA (ps < .05). However, longer actigraphy-measured within-person sleep onset latency was associated with higher next day's LS (p = .028). When including within- and between-person sleep parameters into the same models predicting SWB, only within- and between-person sleep satisfaction remained a significant predictor of all components of SWB. Additionally, we found an effect of higher self-reported within-person sleep onset latency on PA and of shorter self-reported within-person sleep duration on LS (ps < .05). Our results indicate that the evaluative component of sleep-sleep satisfaction-is most consistently linked with SWB. Thus, sleep interventions that are successful in not only altering sleep patterns but also enhancing sleep satisfaction may stand a better chance at improving students' SWB. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The views of young women on HPV vaccine communication in four European countries.

The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) and can cause cervical cancer. Two vaccines are available to protect against the most common strands of the virus. Vaccination programs differ across Europe but most neglect young adults, who are the group with the highest risk of contracting STIs. Our aim was to explore the views of young women from four European countries-Scotland, Spain, Serbia, and Bulgaria - about the HPV vaccine communication strategy. These countries are characterized by different cervical cancer prevalence and vaccine implementation policies. We conducted focus group discussions with young women (aged 18-26) with various vaccination histories in a purposive sample. We subjected the data to thematic analysis with the purpose of identifying themes related to communication about the HPV vaccine. We recorded the information sources mentioned by participants. Participants discussed numerous sources of vaccine-related information. They approached information critically rather than naively and questioned the sources’ trustworthiness and motives. Participants desired transparent information about the risks of the virus and the risks and benefits of the vaccine. These risks and benefits were individualized in view of personal and external factors. Particular aspects of the vaccine and the way information was communicated resulted in feelings of uncertainty. There were notable cross-cultural differences in experiences with HPV vaccine communication. Our results suggest that transparent risk communication about the HPV vaccine is valued by young women. In addition, both individual and culturally-dependent factors influenced experiences with, and preference for information

The views of young women on HPV vaccine communication in four European countries.

The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) and can cause cervical cancer. Two vaccines are available to protect against the most common strands of the virus. Vaccination programs differ across Europe but most neglect young adults, who are the group with the highest risk of contracting STIs. Our aim was to explore the views of young women from four European countries-Scotland, Spain, Serbia, and Bulgaria - about the HPV vaccine communication strategy. These countries are characterized by different cervical cancer prevalence and vaccine implementation policies. We conducted focus group discussions with young women (aged 18-26) with various vaccination histories in a purposive sample. We subjected the data to thematic analysis with the purpose of identifying themes related to communication about the HPV vaccine. We recorded the information sources mentioned by participants. Participants discussed numerous sources of vaccine-related information. They approached information critically rather than naively and questioned the sources’ trustworthiness and motives. Participants desired transparent information about the risks of the virus and the risks and benefits of the vaccine. These risks and benefits were individualized in view of personal and external factors. Particular aspects of the vaccine and the way information was communicated resulted in feelings of uncertainty. There were notable cross-cultural differences in experiences with HPV vaccine communication. Our results suggest that transparent risk communication about the HPV vaccine is valued by young women. In addition, both individual and culturally-dependent factors influenced experiences with, and preference for information

Personality traits relate to chronotype at both the phenotypic and genetic level

Lenneis A, Vainik U, Teder-Laving M, et al. Personality traits relate to chronotype at both the phenotypic and genetic level. Journal of Personality . 2021.Introduction Diurnal preferences have been linked to personality but often with mixed results. The present study examines the relationships between sleep timing (chronotype), diurnal preferences, and the Five-Factor Model of personality traits at the phenotypic and genetic level. Methods Self- and informant-reports of the NEO Personality Inventory-3, self-reports of the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire, and DNA samples were available for 2,515 Estonian adults (M-age = 45.76 years; 59% females). Genetic correlations were obtained through summary statistics of genome-wide association studies. Results Results showed that higher Conscientiousness and lower Openness to Experience were significant predictors of earlier chronotype. At the level of facets, we found that more straightforward (A2) and excitement-seeking (E5), yet less self-disciplined (C5) people were more likely to have later chronotypes. The nuance-level Polypersonality score was correlated with chronotype at r = .28 (p < .001). Conscientiousness and Openness were genetically related with diurnal preferences. The polygenic score for morningness-eveningness significantly predicted the Polypersonality score. Conclusion Phenotypic measures of chronotype and personality showed significant associations at all three of levels of the personality hierarchy. Our findings indicate that the relationship between personality and morningness-eveningness is partly due to genetic factors. Future studies are necessary to further refine the relationship