Volume 24 Issue 4
Apr.  2026
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Article Navigation >  Chinese Journal of General Practice  > 2026  >  24(4): 625-629
LIU Yue, SUI Linpeng, LI Dan, ZHANG Lei, WANG Wenhua, ZHANG Donglin, XUE Mei, HAO Jianfen, WANG Minjuan. Effects of loneliness on sleep quality of middle-aged and older adults and the suppressive effect of depression[J]. Chinese Journal of General Practice, 2026, 24(4): 625-629. doi: 10.16766/j.cnki.issn.1674-4152.004455
Citation: LIU Yue, SUI Linpeng, LI Dan, ZHANG Lei, WANG Wenhua, ZHANG Donglin, XUE Mei, HAO Jianfen, WANG Minjuan. Effects of loneliness on sleep quality of middle-aged and older adults and the suppressive effect of depression[J]. Chinese Journal of General Practice, 2026, 24(4): 625-629. doi: 10.16766/j.cnki.issn.1674-4152.004455
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Effects of loneliness on sleep quality of middle-aged and older adults and the suppressive effect of depression

doi: 10.16766/j.cnki.issn.1674-4152.004455
  • 1.

    Department of Research Management, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Xi ' an Medical University, Xi ' an, Shaanxi 710068, China

Funds:

 2025-SF-YBXM-177

  • Received Date: 2025-08-05
    Abstract
  •   Objective  To explore the impact of loneliness on sleep quality and analyze the mediating role of depression, and to provide targeted interventions to improve the sleep quality of middle-aged and older adults.  Methods  During July-August 2023, the residents ≥45 years old in Ankang City, Shaanxi Province, were selected by a whole cluster random sampling method. Their loneliness level, depressive symptoms, and sleep quality were assessed by the Loneliness scale (ULS-8), the Centre for Epidemiological Studies depression scale (CESD-10), and the Pittsburgh sleep quality index scale (PSQI). The SPSS 25.0 statistical software was used for statistical descriptions, correlation analyses, univariate and multivariate analyses, and mediation tests using the SPSS Process program.  Results  (1) A total of 1 018 participants were enrolled, including 341 males (33.5%) and 677 females (66.5%), with a median age of 60 years. Participants who reported sleep disturbance, loneliness, and depressive symptoms accounted for 34.1% (347/1 018), 23.5% (239/1 018), and 20.8% (212/1 018) of the total, respectively. (2) Among participants who self-reported sleep disturbance, 94.2% presented with sleep latency disturbance. (3) The loneliness score was positively correlated with the sleep quality score (r=0.140, P < 0.01). The depression score was positively correlated with the sleep quality and loneliness scores (r=0.486, 0.449; both P < 0.01). (4) There was a suppressive effect of depression between loneliness and sleep quality (ab=0.275, c ' =-0.113).  Conclusion  The effect of loneliness on the sleep quality of middle-aged and older adults was suppressed by depressed mood. Detecting and intervening in loneliness and depression in time can help to improve the sleep quality of middle-aged and older adults and reduce the incidence of sleep disorders.

     

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