Sleep quality in relation to trait energy and fatigue: an exploratory study of healthy young adults

ABSTRACT Objectives: To evaluate how sleep quality predicts the trait aspect of mental and physical energy versus fatigue within a healthy non-obese adult population. Material and Methods: A study population of 495 adults completed an online survey concerning trait energy and fatigue as well as sleep quality. Bivariate and adjusted analysis examined whether sleep quality, measured from the Pittsburgh sleep quality instrument, associated with physical and mental trait energy and fatigue (4 separate constructs). Adjusted analysis included caffeine consumption, polyphenol consumption, current mood, perceived mental workload, and physical activity. Results: Bivariate analysis showed that both physical and mental fatigue were associated with sleep quality, while physical and mental energy were not. However, after adjustment for potential confounders, sleep quality was associated with mental fatigue and physical energy (not physical fatigue). Conclusion: Findings suggest that improvement in sleep quality among healthy young adults may affect certain aspects of physical versus mental energy and fatigue more strongly than others.