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Insomnia severity is negatively associated with life satisfaction and positively associated with psychological distress in adults from Mediterranean and neighbouring countries.

In a cross-sectional survey of 4010 adults, higher insomnia severity was the strongest negative correlate of life satisfaction (β = -0.19) and the strongest positive correlate of depression, anxiety, and stress (β ≈ 0.43-0.47). These associations were consistent across all psychological outcomes, suggesting sleep-related variables are key correlates of mental well-being.

Last updated: Aug 29, 2026•0 RCTs•📖 Read as article →

Evidence Score

Evidence Score34/100
Human RCT☆☆☆☆☆
Meta-analysis☆☆☆☆☆
Mechanism★★★★★
Safety★★★★☆
Confidencelow

Study Evidence

Study 1. Life Satisfaction and Psychological Distress in Relation to Mediterranean Lifestyle Adherence and Behavioural Correlates: Findings from the MEDIET4ALL International Survey.

observational

Ammar A, Salem A, Trabelsi K, Montalvan M, Bouaziz B, Boujelbane MA, Kerkeni M, Masmoudi L, Ghazzawi HA, Amawi AT, Orhan BE, Zambrano-Villacres R, Heydenreich J, Schallhorn C, Driss T, Frias-Toral E, Zmijewski P, Jahrami H, Husain W, Grosso G, Chtourou H, Schöllhorn WI · Nutrients (2026)

Participants: N/A
Duration: Cross-sectional (single time point)
Intervention: No intervention; observational study of Mediterranean lifestyle adherence and behavioural correlates.
Outcome: Life satisfaction (SLSQ), psychological distress (DASS-21: depression, anxiety, stress), insomnia severity, subjective sleep quality.
Effect Size: β = -0.19 for life satisfaction; β ≈ 0.43-0.47 for distress outcomes.
Population: Adults (59.5% female) from 10 Mediterranean and neighbouring countries participating in the MEDIET4ALL survey.

Result:

PubMed: 42654288DOI: 10.3390/nu18162708

Mechanism Graph

Insomnia severity is measured via validated scale.
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Higher insomnia severity is associated with lower life satisfaction.
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Higher insomnia severity is associated with higher depression, anxiety, and stress.
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Insomnia severity emerges as the strongest correlate across all psychological outcomes.

Limitations

  • ⚠Cross-sectional design prevents causal inference and temporal ordering.
  • ⚠Exploratory indirect-association analyses are hypothesis-generating, not evidence of mediation.
  • ⚠Self-reported measures may introduce reporting bias.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the strongest correlate of life satisfaction in this study?▼

Insomnia severity showed the strongest negative association with life satisfaction (β = -0.19).

How was psychological distress measured?▼

Psychological distress was measured using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), assessing depression, anxiety, and stress.

What population was studied?▼

Adults from 10 Mediterranean and neighbouring countries, with 59.5% female, totaling 4010 participants.

Is this study evidence of a causal relationship between insomnia and distress?▼

No, the cross-sectional design means the findings are hypothesis-generating and do not establish causality or temporal ordering.

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References

  1. 1.Ammar A, Salem A, Trabelsi K, Montalvan M, Bouaziz B, Boujelbane MA, Kerkeni M, Masmoudi L, Ghazzawi HA, Amawi AT, Orhan BE, Zambrano-Villacres R, Heydenreich J, Schallhorn C, Driss T, Frias-Toral E, Zmijewski P, Jahrami H, Husain W, Grosso G, Chtourou H, Schöllhorn WI. "Life Satisfaction and Psychological Distress in Relation to Mediterranean Lifestyle Adherence and Behavioural Correlates: Findings from the MEDIET4ALL International Survey.." Nutrients, 2026. PMID: 42654288 DOI: 10.3390/nu18162708
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Evidence scores reflect the quality and quantity of available research, not clinical recommendations. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement or intervention.