Acne Severity and Sleep Quality in Adults

Poor sleep quality is extremely prevalent, with about one third of adults in the USA obtaining less than the recommended amount of sleep. In addition, poor sleep quality has been linked to an increased risk of many conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, psychiatric conditions, and overall all-cause mortality. Research has shown that sleep disturbance does impact skin disease, although many details of this relationship are still unclear. The goal of this study is to determine if there is a relationship between acne severity and sleep quality in adults. Forty subjects with acne were recruited from dermatology clinics in Cleveland, OH, to participate in this study. Acne severity was assessed using the Global Acne Grading Scale (GAGS). To assess sleep quality, subjects completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and completed a seven-day sleep journal. Subjects also completed the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), and provided information about current and past acne treatments as well as their opinion regarding their own acne severity and exacerbating factors. Our findings support the hypothesis that there is a potential relationship between sleep quality and acne.