The role of sleep hygiene in the co-occurrence of GAD and MDD symptoms in an undergraduate sample.

Objective: Sleep hygiene may contribute to the frequent co-occurrence of major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), which is linked to more severe impairment than either disorder alone. MDD and GAD share sleep dysfunction, which may involve poor sleep hygiene. This study tested whether poor sleep hygiene strengthens the relationship between GAD and MDD symptoms. Participants: 180 undergraduate students from a large Southern university participated. Methods: In this cross-sectional design, participants completed measures of anxiety, depression, and sleep hygiene. Moderation analyses were conducted to examine whether sleep hygiene altered the association between GAD and MDD symptoms. Results: Analyses revealed that the positive relationship between GAD and MDD symptoms was stronger among individuals reporting poorer sleep hygiene, particularly in environmental and behavioral domains. Conclusions: These findings support the role of sleep hygiene in the co-occurrence of GAD and MDD symptoms. Poor sleep hygiene may intensify symptom co-occurrence, highlighting the importance of targeting sleep-related behaviors in interventions for young adults experiencing GAD and MDD symptoms.