Big 5 personality traits and intraindividual variability in sleep duration, continuity, and timing

Abstract

Objectives: The personality traits of conscientiousness and neuroticism have been consistently linked to mean-level, self-reported sleep duration and continuity. The present study expands this literature by using actigraphy sleep assessment to examine how personality is related to both mean-level and the intraindividual variability in sleep duration, continuity, and timing.

Design: One-week ecological sleep assessment.

Setting: The research was conducted at a mid-size Midwestern university. Actigraphy data were collected at participants' homes.

Participant: The study had a sample size of 358 college-aged participants.

Measurements: Sleep duration, continuity, and timing were assessed for 7 consecutive nights using actigraphy. Participants also completed a self-report assessment of personality.

Results: Conscientiousness and extraversion emerged as the key personality predictors of sleep outcomes. Higher conscientiousness was associated with longer average sleep duration and earlier timing, as well as higher consistency in total sleep time. Higher extraversion was associated with later bedtimes, less total sleep time, and more variability in their sleep timing. Neuroticism, agreeableness, and openness to experience were not significantly related to sleep.

Conclusion: The study's results highlight the importance of personality in sleep research, with implications for sleep health promotion efforts.

Keywords: Conscientiousness; Extraversion; Sleep continuity; Sleep duration; Sleep timing.