The Relationship Between Stress, Anxiety, Depression, and Sleep Problems

Abstract

Quality of sleep can be seen in almost every aspect of life. There are also many contributing factors to the quality of sleep, such as stress, anxiety, depression, etc. This current study will examine the relationship between these variables and determine if one variable has a stronger effect on sleep than the others. Data will be collected through a self-report online survey distributed through Qualtrics. Results showed that stress, anxiety, and depression all positively correlated with sleep problems. However, upon further analysis, depression had the highest correlation with sleep problems when compared to anxiety and stress. These findings demonstrate the adverse effects of stress, anxiety, and depression on sleep. However, this study sheds light on how severe sleep can be affected by depression. Not obtaining intervention for either sleep or depressive symptoms may have long-lasting effects on the other. Implications for this research and future research possibilities are also discussed.