Sleep dysfunction in social anxiety disorder

Background: Anxiety disorders frequently co-occur with sleep disturbances, and social anxiety disorder (SAD) is no exception (Journal of affective disorders, 2020, 260, 200). Aims: The present study examined differences in sleep dysfunction between individuals with and without SAD as well as the temporal relationship between reported sleep quality and anxiety in individuals' daily lives. Materials & Methods: Eighty-seven participants took part in the study: 44 met diagnostic criteria for SAD and 43 did not. Both groups completed a daily diary measurement to assess the levels of experienced anxiety and sleep quality every day for 21 consecutive days. Results: Individuals with SAD reported significantly poorer sleep across all measured variables compared with those without SAD. Hierarchical linear modelling (HLM) analyses showed reciprocal effects between sleep duration and anxiety, with both variables predicting each other on subsequent days. In addition, sleep quality and time to fall asleep predicted subsequent anxiety but not vice versa. Discussion: The findings suggest that sleep could play an important role in the maintenance of social anxiety. Conclusion: Sleep interventions targeting duration, quality, and time to fall asleep may be beneficial for improving SAD symptoms.