Associations between Perceived Discrimination and Sleep Health: Results from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Young Adult Sleep Study

Authors

• Angel I.M. Collie, The Pennsylvania State UniversityFollow
• Adwoa Dadzie, The Pennsylvania State UniversityFollow
• David A. Reichenberger, Oregon Health and Science UniversityFollow
• Lindsay A. Master, The Pennsylvania State UniversityFollow
• Gina M. Mathew, State University of New York at Stony BrookFollow
• Lauren E. Hale, Stony BrookFollow
• Anne-Marie Chang, The Pennsylvania State UniversityFollow
• Orfeu M. Buston, The Pennsylvania State UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

DOI

10.1016/j.sleh.2026.01.010

Publication Date

2025

Keywords

Actigraphy, Sleep quality, Sleep duration, Sleep timing, Young adulthood, Perceived discrimination

Abstract

Objectives. We investigated cross-sectional associations between perceived discrimination and actigraphic sleep health among young adults.

Methods. Data from the age 22 wave (mean±SD age=22.1±0.4 years) of the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Young Adult Sleep Study, a national birth cohort originally drawn from 20 U.S. cities, included young adults (n=334; 68.9% Black, 14.7% Hispanic/Latino) who self-reported experiences of discrimination. Wrist-worn actigraphy was collected across ~2 weeks from 2020-2024 and measures included sleep duration, onset, midpoint, maintenance efficiency (SMeff), and wake after sleep onset (WASO). Multiple linear regression models examined the association between experiencing a specific type of discrimination and dimensions of sleep health, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics.

Results. Job-based discrimination was associated with shorter sleep duration. Age-based discrimination was associated with worse sleep quality (more WASO and lower SMeff).

Conclusions. We found that the association between perceived discrimination and sleep health varied by type of experience and the sleep dimension examined. Future research using longitudinal designs, nuanced measures of discrimination, and/or interventions targeting coping and stress regulation may help clarify discrimination-sleep pathways and reduce sleep disparities.

Recommended Citation

Collie AIM, Dadzie A, Reichenberger DA, Master L, Mathew GM, Hale L, Chang AM, Buxton OM. Associations between perceived discrimination and sleep health: Results from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Young Adult Sleep Study. Sleep Health. 2026 Apr;12(2):229-236. doi: 10.1016/j.sleh.2026.01.010. Epub 2026 Feb 28. PMID: 41765740; PMCID: PMC13021148.