Religious belief linked to lower anxiety and better sleep in Israeli Druze study

A study of individuals from the Israeli Druze community found that religious individuals tend to report better sleep quality and experience less anxiety. Statistical modeling suggests that religiosity may reduce anxiety, which, in turn, contributes to better sleep quality. The paper was published in the Journal of Sleep Research.

Sleep is a natural and essential biological process that allows the body and brain to rest, repair, and restore. It plays a critical role in memory consolidation, emotional regulation, immune function, and overall health. Good sleep quality supports attention, learning, and mood stability throughout the day. Poor sleep quality, on the other hand, can lead to fatigue, irritability, reduced concentration, and an increased risk of physical and mental health problems.

Poor sleep quality can include difficulty falling or staying asleep, non-restorative sleep (sleep after which one does not feel refreshed), or frequent awakenings. Factors that can affect sleep quality include stress, anxiety, irregular sleep schedules, caffeine or alcohol use, medical conditions, and environmental disturbances like noise or light. Chronic poor sleep can impair immune function, raise the risk of cardiovascular disease, and contribute to depression or anxiety.

Study author Najwa Basis and her colleagues aimed to test the Social-Ecological Model of Sleep Health, as well as a conceptual model proposing that religious involvement might influence sleep quality. The Social-Ecological Model of Sleep Health is a theoretical framework suggesting that sleep is shaped by multiple interacting influences, ranging from individual behaviors to broader social and cultural factors. The authors hypothesized that religiosity may influence anxiety and depression, which in turn affect sleep.

Participants included 233 individuals recruited from the Druze villages of Daliat El-Carmel and Usfiyya on Mount Carmel, Israel. The Druze in Israel are a unique religious minority who follow a monotheistic faith that evolved from Islam but is now distinct. They speak Arabic and are known for their loyalty to the country they live in. In Israel, they are the only Arab group subject to mandatory military conscription.

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Participants reported whether they identified as religious (Uqqal) or non-religious (Juhal), how frequently they participated in religious events, and how often they visited religious venues. They also completed assessments of religious orientation (using the Religious Life and Orientation Scale), anxiety and depression (using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, or HADS), and filled out a two-week self-report sleep diary (the Consensus Sleep Diary).

Of the 233 participants, 93 identified as religious and 140 as non-religious. The average participant age was approximately 37 years. About 23% had borderline anxiety levels, and 12% had clinical levels of anxiety. Anxiety was significantly higher among non-religious participants. However, there were no significant differences in depression levels between the two groups.

Thirteen percent of participants reported poor sleep quality, while 39% reported good sleep quality. Religious participants tended to report significantly better sleep than their non-religious peers. The researchers tested a statistical model suggesting that religiosity reduces anxiety, which in turn improves sleep quality. Analyses supported the possibility of this relationship.

“Our results suggest that mental health factors, particularly anxiety, may play a significant role in the relationship between religiosity, religious orientation, and sleep health. The findings of this research provide crucial insights into the Druze community in Israel and contribute to the existing literature by linking the deeper aspects of religiosity to sleep outcomes,” the study authors concluded.

The study contributes to the scientific understanding of the links between religiosity and mental health. However, it should be noted that participants of this study were exclusively Israeli Druze. Results on other religious and cultural groups may differ.

The paper, “Religiosity, Religious Orientation, and a Good Night’s Sleep: The Role of Anxiety and Depression,” was authored by Najwa Basis, Lital Keinan Boker, and Tamar Shochat.