Chronic insomnia as a risk factor for developing anxiety and depression

• Published in: Sleep (New York, N.Y.) N.Y.), 2007-07, Vol.30 (7), p.873-880
• Main Authors: NECKELMANN, Dag, MYKLETUN, Arnstein, DAHL, Alva
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Aged; Anxiety Disorders - diagnosis; Anxiety Disorders - epidemiology; Anxiety Disorders - psychology; Behavioral psychophysiology; Biological and medical sciences; Chronic Disease; Depression; Depressive Disorder - diagnosis; Depressive Disorder - epidemiology; Depressive Disorder - psychology; Disorders of higher nervous function. Focal brain diseases. Central vestibular syndrome and deafness. Brain stem syndromes; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Insomnia; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mood disorders; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Risk Factors; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders - epidemiology; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 0161-8105; 1550-9109
• DOI: 10.1093/sleep/30.7.873

To study prospectively the relations of insomnia to the development of anxiety disorders and depression in a population-based sample. Cohort study based on data from 2 general health surveys of the adult population. Two general health surveys in the adult population in Nord-Trøndelag County of Norway, HUNT-1 performed in 1984-6 and HUNT-2 in 1995-7 Participants without significant anxiety and depression in HUNT-1 were categorized according to the presence and absence of insomnia in the 2 surveys (N=25,130). Anxiety disorders and depression in HUNT-2 were assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, gender, education, comorbid depression/anxiety, and history of insomnia. Anxiety disorders in HUNT-2 were significantly associated with the group with insomnia in HUNT-1 only (OR 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1-2.3), the group with insomnia in HUNT-2 only (OR 3.4; 95% CI, 3.1-3.8), as well as with the group with insomnia in both surveys (OR 4.9; 95% CI, 3.8-6.4). Depression in HUNT-2 was significantly associated with the group with insomnia in HUNT-2 only (OR 1.8; 95% CI, 1.6-2.0), but not with the groups with insomnia in HUNT-1 only or with insomnia in both surveys. Only a state-like association between insomnia and depression was found. In addition to being a state marker, insomnia may be a trait marker for individuals at risk for developing anxiety disorders. Results are consistent with insomnia being a risk factor for the development of anxiety disorders.