Cohort Descriptives

Variable Response
Cohort Name SleepQuest: Researching sleep to improve brain health
Cohort Acronym SleepQuest
DOI Coulthard, E. (2017). SleepQuest [Data set]. Dementias Platform UK. https://doi.org/10.48532/043000
Study Overview Behavioural responses to COVID-19 lockdown will define the long-term impact of psychological stressors on sleep and brain health. The Sleep Quest study looked at the factors that affect and protect against sleep disturbances. We used the nationally enforced lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic to understand how mental health, caring responsibilities, attitudes and beliefs about sleep, time of day of daylight exposure and outside exercise, interact with chronotype and sleep quality. Of the 3,474 people from the UK (median age 62, range 18-91) who completed our online study between 29th April and 13th May, 2,780 completed the follow-up during the second UK lockdown between the 5th November and 2nd December 2020. Participants completed a set of validated questionnaires probing sleep quality, depression, anxiety and attitudes to sleep alongside bespoke questions on the effect of COVID-19 lockdown on sleep, time spent outside and exercising and self-help sleep measures. Data from the first lockdown showed that significantly more people (n=1252) reported worsened than improved sleep (n=562) during lockdown (p<0.0001). Factors significantly associated with worsened sleep included low mood (p<0.001), anxiety (p<0.001) and suspected, proven or at risk of COVID-19 symptoms (all p<0.03). Sleep improvement was related to the increased length of time spent outside (p<0.01). Better sleep quality was associated with going outside and exercising earlier, rather than later, in the day. The analysis of data from the second lockdown is ongoing.
#Subjects at Baseline 2781
Institution Name University of Bristol
Department Name Insititute of Clinical Neurosciences
City Bristol
Study/Database Website

https://www.sleepquest.co.uk

Principal Investigator (PI) Dr Elizabeth Coulthard
Key Study References

1. Gross, R.T. and T. Borkovec, Effects of a cognitive intrusion manipulation on the sleep-onset latency of good sleepers. Behavior Therapy, 1982. 13(1): p. 112-116. 2. Butcher, A., Covid–19: Why sleep could be a lifesaver, in The Telegraph. 2020. 3. Besedovsky, L., T. Lange, and M. Haack, The Sleep-Immune Crosstalk in Health and Disease. Physiol Rev, 2019. 99(3): p. 1325-1380. 4. Spira, A.P. and R.F. Gottesman, Sleep disturbance: an emerging opportunity for Alzheimer's disease prevention? Int Psychogeriatr, 2017. 29(4): p. 529-531. 5. St-Onge, M.-P. and F.M. Zuraikat, Reciprocal roles of sleep and diet in cardiovascular health: a review of recent evidence and a potential mechanism. Current atherosclerosis reports, 2019. 21(3): p. 11. 6. Reid, K.J., et al., Sleep: A Marker of Physical and Mental Health in the Elderly. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 2006. 14: p. 860-866. 7. Smith, M.T., M.I. Huang, and R. Manber, Cognitive behavior therapy for chronic insomnia occurring within the context of medical and psychiatric disorders. Clin Psychol Rev, 2005. 25(5): p. 559-92. 8. Harvey, A.G., A cognitive model of insomnia. Behav Res Ther, 2002. 40: p. 869-893.

Population Based Study? Yes
Family Based Study? No
Clinical based sample? No
Is there follow-up data available? Yes
Were participants included prior to development of dementia (may refer to controls only)? Yes
Were participants included prior to development of MCI (may refer to controls only)? Yes
How is data collected? Online questionnaire
Who carries out data collection? Via website
Does this take place in participants' homes or at a central location? Participants personal electronic devices (PC, smartphones etc.) connected to the internet.
Do participants take part individually or are families/partners involved? Both
Dementia cases ascertained as part of study: 58
Diagnosis based on review of existing clinical data Self-report
Was diagnosis/primary outcomes made blind to exposure variables? No
How many times followed up? 1
# Subjects at Follow-up 2781
Study start date 29/04/2020 00:00:00
Study end date Onging
Is study ongoing? Yes
Is study still recruiting? Not currently.
Inclusion criteria All people over the age of 18yrs resident in the UK were able to take part in the study.
Exclusion criteria None. But significant medical comorbidities (including narcolepsy, but not necessarily other sleep disorders such as mild insomnia or restless leg syndrome), which could skew/confound data (e.g. severe osteoarthritis) will be excluded from the main analysis

Administration

Variable type
Record ID
Date of survey
Consent

Sociodemographic

Sub-category Variable type Baseline Follow-Up
Education Highest Education qualification Y  
Employment Current employment status Y Y
Employment Extent able to work in COVID-19 lockdown Y  
Employment Extent able to work compared to pre-lockdown Y Y
Employment Unemployment as a direct result of COVID-19 Y Y
Employment Fulfilling a key worker role Y  
Employment Is overnight working a regular part of your work Y  
Ethnicity Ethnicity Y  
Sex Sex Y  
YOB Age Y  

Physical Health Status

Sub-category Variable type Baseline Follow-Up
Cerebrovascular Has heart disease Y Y
Cerebrovascular Has high blood pressure Y Y
Endocrinology Has diabetes Y Y
General Health Doctor diagnosed insomnia Y Y
General Health Doctor diagnosed sleep disorder Y Y
General Health Other disorder that affects sleep Y Y
General Health Identified as at increased risk from COVID-19 Y Y
General Health Obesity Y Y
General Health Doctor diagnosed chronic physical health Y Y
Immunology Been infected with COVID-19 Y Y
Neurological Has a medical condition affecting brain or nerves, other than dementia Y Y
Reproductive Pregnant Y Y
Respiratory Has lung condition Y Y

Variable types

Sub-category Variable type Baseline Follow-Up
Medications Taking medication for sleep Y Y

Psychological Status

Sub-category Variable type Baseline Follow-Up
Mental health PHQ8 questionnaire Y Y
Mental health GAD7 questionnaire Y Y
Quality of life EQ-5D questionnaire Y Y
Self report pschological status Has delusions   Y
Self report pschological status Has hallucinations   Y
Self report pschological status Has agitation   Y
Self report pschological status Has depression   Y
Self report pschological status Has anxiety   Y
Self report pschological status Has euphoria   Y
Self report pschological status Has apathy   Y
Self report pschological status Has disinhibition   Y
Self report pschological status Has irritability   Y
Self report pschological status Has motor disturbance   Y
Self report pschological status Has nighttime behaviours   Y
Self report pschological status Has change in appetite   Y

Cognition

Sub-category Variable type Baseline Follow-Up
Cognitive Status Doctor diagnosed Alzheimer's disease Y Y
Cognitive Status Doctor diagnosed Vascular dementia Y Y
Cognitive Status Doctor diagnosed Mild Cognitive Impairment Y Y
Cognitive Status Doctor diagnosed dementia with Lewy bodies Y Y
Cognitive Status Doctor diagnosed Frontotemporal dementia Y Y
Cognitive Status Doctor diagnosed Parkinsons dementia Y Y
Cognitive Status Doctor diagnosed mixed dementia Y Y
Cognitive Status Doctor diagnosed other form of dementia Y Y

Lifestyle

Sub-category Variable type Baseline Follow-Up
Diet Taking supplements Y Y
Physical activity Exercise routine Y Y
Physical activity Total step count for last complete weekday Y  
Physical activity How has exercise changed compared to before lockdown Y Y
Sleep Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Y Y
Sleep Has sleep changed during pandemic Y Y
Sleep Do children sleep through the night Y Y
Sleep Routines and strategies for sleep Y Y
Sleep Dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep questionnaire Y Y
Substance use Number of units of alcohol consumed in last 7 days Y Y
Substance use Do you smoke Y Y

Physical Environment

Sub-category Variable type Baseline Follow-Up
Sun exposure Time spent time outside during last week Y Y
Sun exposure Amount of time spent outside compared to before lockdown Y Y

Social Environment

Sub-category Variable type Baseline Follow-Up
Social care Number of children under 16 for whom you are responsible Y  
Social care Carer responsibilities Y Y
Social care CSQ-8 questionnaire Y