Social-biological influences on sleep duration among adult residents of Northeastern China

BACKGROUND: Cold climates traditionally have conferred long sleep duration in the residents in northeast China; however, modern lifestyle reduces sleep duration. In this study, we investigated social-biological factors influencing sleep duration in the adult residents in northeast China. METHODS: This study was performed using data from the Investigation of Chronic Disease Morbidity Rate and Risk Factors of Adults in Jilin Province, China. Associations between sleep duration and indices of demographic characteristics, health-related behaviors, and disease history in adult residents were analyzed using univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The mean sleep duration was 7.24 h. Of the 21,435 participants, approximately 53.4% had short sleep duration (sleep duration per day < 7 h), and 10.5% had long sleep duration (sleep duration per day > 9 h). There were associations between short sleep duration and indices, including age, place of residence, marital status, educational level, alcohol drinking, dietary, obesity, and history of coronary heart disease (CHD) or myocardial infarction (MI). There existed associations of long sleep duration with indices, such as age, place of residence, occupation, educational level, average monthly earnings, and physical exercise. CONCLUSION: Short sleep duration is common among residents in northeast China. Age, place of residence, and educational level are implicated in both short sleep duration and long sleep duration. Short sleep duration inclines to link with the indices (marital status, alcohol drinking, dietary, obesity, and history of CHD or MI). However, long sleep duration is relevant to the indices (occupation, average monthly earnings, and physical exercise).