Sleep Disturbances Among Adult Patients with Mood Disorders: A Saudi Cross-Sectional Study

Ahmad H Almadani,1,2 Ayedh H Alghamdi,1,2 Falwah S Alsalman,3 Abdullah J Alghanim,4 Refan T Hashim,2 Abdulrahman I Binbakhit,5 Aleen A Alkulyah,5 Reema M Almutairi,5 Laila A Alfarhan,5 Abdullah K Muhnna,5 Malak M Aldakhilallah,2 Mohammed A Aljaffer1,2 1Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Psychiatry, King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Psychiatry, King Fahad Hospital of the University, Khobar, Saudi Arabia; 5College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Ahmad H Almadani, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Email ahalmadani@ksu.edu.saBackground: Mood disorders (MDs) rank among the most common psychiatric illnesses and frequently co-occur with sleep disturbances that worsen prognosis, impair functioning, and reduce quality of life. This study examines sleep disturbances in patients with MDs at a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia (King Khalid University Hospital) and aims to identify the factors correlated with sleep disturbances.Methods: Researchers conducted a cross-sectional study using convenience sampling with 306 participants. The assessment tool included a questionnaire developed by the research team to capture sociodemographic, psychiatric, medical, and sleep-related information, as well as the Arabic versions of the Sleep Hygiene Index (SHI) and the Glasgow Sleep Effort Scale (GSES).Results: Nearly one-third (31.1%) of the participants reported a diagnosed sleep disorder, with insomnia being the most common (80.0%). Univariate analysis revealed that higher SHI scores were significantly associated with younger age (P = 0.024), single marital status (P = 0.002), and smoking (P = 0.006). In the multivariable model, only smoking remained significantly associated with higher SHI scores. Regarding the GSES, unemployment and chronic diseases were linked to higher scores in univariate analysis (P = 0.048 and P = 0.001, respectively). The multivariate analysis indicated that younger age and chronic diseases were significantly associated with higher GSES scores (P = 0.021 and P < 0.001, respectively).Conclusion: Sleep disturbances occur at high rates among patients with MDs and are associated with behavioral, psychosocial, and medical factors. Targeted interventions addressing smoking, chronic-disease management, and age-specific vulnerabilities may improve sleep quality and overall outcomes.Keywords: bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, mood disorders, quality of life, sleep