Presentation description

Sleeping the recommended 7-9 hours per night is important for maintaining overall mental and physical well-being and more than 1/3 of American adults do not receive adequate sleep. Sleep discrepancies between self-report and objective sleep duration (as measured by an device, such as an actiwatch) has been linked to memory deficits and poorer perceptions of sleep quality. This study evaluated sleep discrepancy among a sample of adults with self-reported sleep duration < 7 hrs. Participants' sleep was measured by self-report questions of habitual sleep and 7 days of recording with an actiwatch. Results demonstrate that greater age, insomnia symptoms, poorer sleep quality, and greater wake after sleep onset (objective) are associated with a higher, negative sleep discrepancy, indicating participants self-report was an overestimation. Improving individuals' perceptions of their sleep may lead to better sleep practices and improved health.