DAILY WORRIES ABOUT GROWN CHILDREN AND AGING PARENTS AND SLEEP. (16th November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, H; Kim, K; Burr, J; Birditt, K; Fingerman, K
• Is Part Of: Innovation in aging. Volume 2(2018)Supplement 1
• Page Start: 913
• Page End: 913
• Publication Date: 2018-11-16
• Subjects: Aging -- Periodicals; Gerontology -- Periodicals; 612.67
• DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igy031.3397
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2399-5300

Abstract

Abstract: Sleep is a fundamental health behavior that has profound implications of individual's wellbeing. Though worry has been recognized as one major cause of sleep problems, it is still unclear how middle-aged adults' worries toward adult children and aging parents influence, and influenced by sleep in everyday life. This study examined the association between worries about family members (i.e., grown children and aging parents) and sleep on a daily basis. Middle-aged adults (N = 191) from the second wave of the Family Exchange Study reported on worries about each of their grown children (n = 454) and aging parents (n = 253) as well as sleep duration and sleep quality for seven days (1, 261 days). Results from multilevel models showed that same day worries about aging parents and prior day worries about grown children were associated with poorer sleep quality. Further, middle-aged adults were less likely to worry about grown children when they slept longer the previous night, and less likely to worry about aging parents after reporting a good night's sleep. Findings suggested a bidirectional association between worries about family members and sleep. Pre-sleep worries about family members appear to lead to poorer sleep quality at night; poor sleep quality then increases the risk of worrying about family members on the subsequent day. Our findings have implications for health professionals for promoting sleep health in multigenerational families.