The Sequential Mediating Roles of Body Pain and Self-Reported Health Status in the Relationship between Sleep Duration and Life Satisfaction.

Objective: This study examines the sequential mediating roles of body pain and self-reported health in the association between sleep duration and self-reported life satisfaction among elderly Chinese adults.

Methods: Data from the fifth wave of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS) were used to analyse the relationships between sleep duration and body pain, self-reported health, and life satisfaction through logistic regression and Restricted Cubic Spline (RCS) analyses. The sequential mediation effects of body pain and self-reported health status were examined via chain mediation analysis.

Results: Logistic regression analysis showed that sleeping fewer than 6 hours or 6-7 hours was linked to higher risks of body pain, poor health, and dissatisfaction with life compared to sleeping 7-8 hours (all P < 0.05). Additionally, those sleeping more than 9 hours also had increased risks of poor health and dissatisfaction with life compared to those sleeping 7-8 hours (all P < 0.05). Chain mediation analysis showed that body pain and self-reported health status sequentially mediated 46.15% of the association between sleep duration and life satisfaction.

Conclusion: Body pain and self-reported health may shape the relationship between sleep duration and life satisfaction in elderly Chinese adults.