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Morgan P Reid, Sarah M Ghose, Sahar M Sabet, Janna L Imel, Dana R Schreiber, Ashley R MacPherson, Natalie D Dautovich, 0689 Higher Internal Health Locus of Control Predicts Less Difficulty Falling Asleep and Less Daytime Sleepiness, Sleep, Volume 42, Issue Supplement_1, April 2019, Page A276, https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsz067.687
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Abstract
Individuals with an internal health locus of control (HLOC), or a belief of primary control over their own health, are more likely to engage in preventative health behaviors and experience better overall health. It is less clear, however, whether an internal HLOC impacts sleep quality. Although an internal HLOC may be associated with a greater sense of self-efficacy over sleep- leading to better outcomes- internal HLOC may also place greater responsibility on the individual, causing anxiety that inhibits sleep. As dispositional optimism has been positively associated with an internal HLOC, as well as with positive sleep outcomes, the current study examined 1) the association between internal HLOC, difficulty falling asleep, and daytime sleepiness and 2) the role of optimism as a mediator in this association.
An archival analysis was conducted using data from the Midlife in the United States-II study (MIDUS-II), Project 1. The sample consisted of 3,976 adults (Mage = 55.43, SD = 12.45; 53.3% female). Participants responded to items regarding sleep difficulties (trouble falling asleep, daytime sleepiness), self-oriented HLOC, and optimism via the Life Orientation Test-Revised.
Internal HLOC was associated with less difficulty falling asleep (95% CI [-.09, -.01]) and less daytime sleepiness (95% CI [-.15, -.07]). Dispositional optimism significantly mediated the associations between internal HLOC and difficulty falling asleep (95% CI [-.06, -.04]) and internal HLOC and daytime sleepiness (95% CI [-.09, -.06]).
The current study supports the idea that an internal HLOC is associated with more positive sleep outcomes. Dispositional optimism served as an explanatory mechanism for this association. Individuals who had a higher internal locus of control reported greater optimism, which, in turn, was associated with less difficulty falling asleep and less daytime sleepiness. Current findings can inform clinical interventions that target the specific beliefs and attitudes associated with sleep health. Future research should address the specific sleep health behaviors associated with an internal HLOC.
MIDUS-II was funded by the National Institute on Aging (P01-AG020166).
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