Researchers explored the relationship between sleep quality and gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) using both subjective and objective measures. Over a 7-day period, 80 patients tracked their GI symptoms and mood via smartphone 10 times per day, while subjective sleep quality was reported each morning and objective sleep data were collected using wrist-worn actigraphy. The analysis found that a majority of participants experienced significant sleep disturbances, with over 80% screening positive for a sleep disorder, primarily insomnia.

Results showed that poor subjective sleep quality predicted increased abdominal pain and lower GI symptoms the following day, whereas GI symptoms did not predict sleep quality. Interestingly, objective sleep data from actigraphy did not correlate with GI symptoms, suggesting that perceived sleep quality may have a greater impact on IBS symptom severity than measured sleep metrics. These findings highlight the importance of addressing perceived sleep disturbances in IBS management and suggest a potential role for sleep-focused interventions in improving GI symptom outcomes.

Reference: Topan R, Vork L, Fitzke H, et al. Poor Subjective Sleep Quality Predicts Symptoms in Irritable Bowel Syndrome Using the Experience Sampling Method. Am J Gastroenterol. 2024 Jan 1;119(1):155-164. doi: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000002510. Epub 2023 Sep 22. PMID: 37737676; PMCID: PMC10758350.