Language
English
Publication Date
7-13-2026
Journal
Sleep
DOI
10.1093/sleep/zsag089
PMID
41920960
PMCID
PMC13148649
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
5-7-2026
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Author MSS
Abstract
Study objectives: Anxiety is common during the perinatal period and is associated with adverse maternal and infant outcomes, highlighting a need to identify predictors of perinatal anxiety. Accumulating research implicates sleep disruption in perinatal anxiety and related symptoms, including obsessive-compulsive symptoms. We examined the associations among insomnia symptoms and sleep duration with perinatal anxiety, obsessive beliefs, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms and the moderating role of coping from pregnancy through postpartum.
Methods: A sample of 231 women (agemean = 32.97 ± 4.36 years; 74% white) completed interview and self-report measures of sleep, coping, perinatal anxiety, obsessive beliefs, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in early and late pregnancy, 6 weeks postpartum, and 6 months postpartum. Multilevel models were used for data analysis.
Results: Shorter sleep duration predicted increases in subsequent perinatal anxiety (B = -.63, p < .05) and obsessive beliefs (B = -2.17, p < .05), whereas perinatal anxiety and related symptoms did not predict subsequent sleep disruption (p's > .05). Those who reported higher insomnia symptoms and shorter sleep duration reported higher perinatal anxiety (B = 1.19, p < .001; B = -3.18, p < .001), obsessive beliefs (B = 3.42, p < .001; B = -11.57, p < .001), and obsessive-compulsive symptoms (B = .69, p < .001; B = -1.94, p < .001) on average. The relation between insomnia symptoms and perinatal anxiety was moderated by coping (B = -.18, p < .01).
Conclusions: These findings suggest that sleep disruption is a modifiable risk factor for perinatal anxiety and related symptoms.
Keywords
Humans, Female, Adaptation, Psychological, Pregnancy, Longitudinal Studies, Adult, Sleep Duration, Coping Skills, Anxiety, Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders, Pregnancy Complications, Postpartum Period, Sleep Wake Disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Published Open-Access
yes
Recommended Citation
Cox, Rebecca C; Hoyniak, Caroline P; Samuels, Jack; et al., "Subjective Sleep Disruption, Coping, and Anxiety and Related Symptoms in the Perinatal Period: Findings From a Longitudinal Study" (2026). Faculty, Staff and Students Publications. 8007.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/baylor_docs/8007