[stillawake]

A fellow insomniac sent me this abstract indicating that people who suffer from social anxiety are more likely to be insomniacs. What it doesn't question is what comes first. The way I see it is if you have had minimal sleep over several days/weeks/years, it is very difficult to make the effort with social chit chat and even harder to appear interested in people's responses. I usually find superficial chat really boring, so is it because these conversations are generally boring or because I am sleep deprived and don't have the energy to waste or the patience to make the effort? I am inclined to think it is lack of patience from sleep deprivation.

Or is it possible that by working on social anxiety the sleep will improve?

Any views on this?

Social anxiety and insomnia: the mediating role of depressive symptoms.

Buckner JD, Bernert RA, Cromer KR, Joiner TE, Schmidt NB.

Source

Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306-1270, USA.

Abstract

Anxiety is commonly associated with insomnia. Given that social anxiety disorder is one of the most prevalent anxiety disorders, socially anxious individuals may be particularly vulnerable to insomnia. However, there is currently very little empirical work on this relationship. This study used bivariate correlations to examine whether social anxiety was related to insomnia in an undergraduate sample (n=176) using the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale and the Insomnia Severity Index. Further, we utilized responses from the Beck Depression Inventory to investigate the role of depressive symptoms in the association between social anxiety and insomnia. Hierarchical linear regressions were used to examine the moderational and mediational role of depressive symptoms in the link between social anxiety and insomnia. To increase generalizability to clinical samples, analyses were repeated on a subset of the sample with clinically significant social anxiety symptoms (n=23) compared to a matched control group (n=23). Consistent with expectation, social anxiety was associated with increased insomnia symptoms. Specifically, social anxiety was correlated with sleep dissatisfaction, sleep-related functional impairment, perception of a sleep problem to others, and distress about sleep problems. Importantly, depressive symptoms mediated the relationship between social anxiety and insomnia, thereby at least partially accounting for insomnia among socially anxious individuals. Our data support the contention that social anxiety is associated with insomnia and suggest that depression may play a vital role in this co-occurrence.

[Martin Reed]

I definitely think there's a link – and I touched upon this in a blog post just the other day:

http://www.insomnialand.com/blog/insomnia-as-a-symptom-of-stress/

Do you think your insomnia is related to social anxiety/stress? If so, which came first?

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[stillawake]

Stress is certainly a trigger, no doubt about it. But when I think back to my pre insomnia days, I would find certain social situations very difficult, such as making small talk at parties where I knew no-one. But I would say that the insomnia started with being kept awake by a baby and the stressful years that followed. I wonder what percentage of people who would be classed as suffering from social phobia are insomniacs?

[BobbyP]

I totally agree that one connects with the other. The less sleep I've had, the more agonizing it is to try to be sociable and interactive. So I think the sleep impacts the socializing, more than the other way around — at least for me. Maybe others feel differently. However, I certainly cannot say that when I've had enough sleep I instantly become a social butterfly and life of the party type of person! I'm still an introvert, no matter what. But it's way more intense when I haven't slept — and anticipating any social event makes my insomnia worse, but, well, then I guess I'm worrying about it ahead of time too much, and here we go with the vicious circle! Anyway, I can totally relate to anyone feeling this way.

[Nicole]

When I don't sleep I totally avoid social situations because my brain is in such a fog I cannot function and I am too tired to try to appear “normal”. I want to be left alone. Then I get depressed because the insomnia is not only controlling my night, but also my daytime. The insomnia takes over my entire life: my sleep, my work, my relationships, my ability to be a good mother. It SUCKS! But I would say that insomnia causes social anxiety more than social anxiety causing insomnia.

[1949Molly]

I've just accepted that I don't want to engage in social chit chat, unless it's with strangers asking about some bus route, etc. I took the Myers-Briggs personality indicator years ago and this fits with my personality. I engage with my co-workers a lot (if I like them) and my customers. That it for me.

[Author]

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