Religiosity, Religious Orientation, and a Good Night's Sleep: The Role of Anxiety and Depression

Religious belief can be beneficial to mental health, particularly in relation to anxiety and depression, both of which are strongly linked to poor sleep. This study aimed to investigate the role of anxiety and depression as mediators in the relationship between religiosity/religious orientation and sleep health in the Druze community in Israel. The cross-sectional study included 93 religious and 140 non-religious Druze adults who completed a questionnaire and a 2-week sleep diary. We tested the effects of religiosity (yes/no) and religious orientation (religion as end, means and quest) on sleep quality and efficiency. Next, we examined anxiety and depression as mediators in these relationships. Eighty-three (35.6%) respondents had borderline or clinical anxiety, while 24(10.3%) had borderline or clinical depression. Thirty (12.9%) reported poor sleep quality. In mediation models, anxiety fully mediated the relationship between religiosity and sleep quality (β = 0.195, 95% CI [0.109-0.296]); religiosity and sleep efficiency (β = 0.619, 95% CI [0.193-1.137]); religion as end and sleep quality (β = 0.091, 95% CI [0.046-0.150]); religion as end and sleep efficiency (β = 0.304, 95% CI [0.094-0.577]); religion as quest and sleep efficiency (β = -0.325, 95% CI [-0.575-0.086]). Additionally, anxiety partially mediated the relationship between religion as quest and sleep quality (β = -0.096, 95% CI [-0.152-0.052]). In all models, non-religious status, lower levels of religion as end, and higher levels of religion as quest predicted higher anxiety, which in turn predicted lower sleep quality and efficiency. Other models were non-significant for anxiety or depression. Anxiety plays a crucial role in the relationship between religiosity, religious orientation and sleep health. Religious individuals experience less anxiety and report better sleep quality.