Publication year
2015
Citation Title
Daily insufficient sleep and active duty status.
Journal Name
Military Medicine
Journal Volume
180
Issue Number
1
Page Numbers
68-76
DOI
10.7205/MILMED-D-14-00158
Summary
Given the importance of sleep in health outcomes, phone survey data were used to examine the relationship between active duty status and sleep issues. Active Duty service was associated with an increase in insufficient sleep over the past 30 days.
Key Findings
Among adults age 64 or less, 14% of those with recent Active Duty service, 13% with past Active Duty service, and 11% of civilians reported insufficient sleep over the past 30 days.
Among adults age 64 or less, self-reported daily insufficient sleep was 33% more likely for military personnel than civilians.
Among adults over age 65, sleep scores did not vary with respect to a history of military service.
Implications for Program Leaders
Provide classes on relaxation techniques for recently returned Service members
Offer workshops on sleep hygiene, teaching skills in enhancing the quality and duration of sleep
Educate Service members on potential increased risks associated with insufficient sleep, such as impairment in operating a motor vehicle
Implications for Policy Makers
Monitor Service members’ work schedules to ensure they have sufficient time for rest
Recommend that Service members be routinely screened for sleep practices and associated challenges
Encourage awareness campaigns on installations regarding the importance of a healthy work-life balance and sufficient sleep
Methods
Data was drawn from the 2009 and 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System random telephone survey of American adults.
Daily sleep scores were based on self-reports of sleep and rest quality over the past 30 days.
Respondents answered questions related to military service, binge drinking, smoking obesity, physical inactivity, and mental distress.
Participants
The sample included 566,861 adults (aged 18 – 64 years old) and 271,202 older adults (aged 65 and over).
Among 18 – 64 year olds, 1% of respondents reported recent Active Duty, and 7% reported past Active Duty service; among respondents over age 65, 1% reported recent Active Duty service, and 25% reported past Active Duty Service.
The majority of those with recent (81%) or past (93%) Active Duty status were male, while those with no Active Duty status tended to be female (57%).
Service branch data were not provided.
Limitations
A key variable, insufficient sleep, was based on loosely defined recall data which may have been affected by recall bias.
Sleep scores were measured by a single item that assessed both rest and sleep, constructs that are related but not synonymous.
Mental health questions were dichotomous (“good” vs “not good”), preventing researchers from examining shades of well-being.
Avenues for Future Research
Examine correlates of sleep difficulties among Service members (e.g., mental health issues or traumatic brain injury)
Consider research-based definitions of “sufficient sleep” to strengthen study
Examine the length of time since the Service member returned from deployment in relationship to sleep
Focus
Multiple Branches
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Branch
Military Component
Abstract
Objective: We assessed the relationship between active duty status and daily insufficient sleep in a telephone survey. Methods: U.S. military service status (recent defined as past 12 months and past defined as 12 months ago) and daily insufficient sleep in the past 30 days were assessed among 566,861 adults aged 18 to 64 years and 271,202 adults aged 65 years in the 2009 to 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System surveys. Results: Among ages 18 to 64 years, 1.1% reported recent active duty and 7.1% had past service; among ages 65 years, 0.6% reported recent and 24.6% had past service. Among ages 18 to 64 years, prevalence of daily insufficient sleep was 13.7% among those reporting recent duty, 12.6% for those with past service, and 11.2% for those with no service. Insufficient sleep did not vary significantly with active duty status among ages 65 years. After adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics, health behaviors, and frequent mental distress in multivariate logistic regression models, respondents aged 18 to 64 years with recent active duty were 34% more likely and those with past service were 23% more likely to report daily insufficient sleep than those with no service (0.05, both). Conclusions: Adults with either recent or past active duty have a greater risk for daily insufficient sleep.
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