Relationship between caregiving burden and alterations in circadian rhythms among spousal caregivers of individuals with cognitive impairment
Abstract Background Caring for individuals with cognitive impairment is demanding and may impact caregiver well-being. This study examined whether caregiving burden is linked to alterations in circadian rhythm of spousal caregivers (SCGs), using both objective and subjective measures. Methods A tota...
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| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-08-01
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| Series: | BMC Geriatrics |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-025-06316-7 |
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| author | Shin Young Park Jung Been Lee Taek Lee Ho Yeong Jeong Sang Yoon Kim So Yeon Jeon |
| author_facet | Shin Young Park Jung Been Lee Taek Lee Ho Yeong Jeong Sang Yoon Kim So Yeon Jeon |
| author_sort | Shin Young Park |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Caring for individuals with cognitive impairment is demanding and may impact caregiver well-being. This study examined whether caregiving burden is linked to alterations in circadian rhythm of spousal caregivers (SCGs), using both objective and subjective measures. Methods A total of 104 SCGs were enrolled, of which 54 wore Fitbit devices to collect objective data on sleep-wake cycles and circadian heart rate rhythm (CHR). Subjective sleep quality was evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between caregiving burden, as measured by the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), and circadian rhythm variables. Results Higher caregiving burden was related to lower goodness of fit (β = − 0.306, t = − 2.144, p = 0.037) and greater subjective sleep disturbance (β = 0.203, t = 2.021, p = 0.046). Although not statistically significant, a trend toward earlier awakening was observed as the caregiving burden increased, particularly in the SCG of individuals with dementia. No significant associations were found for other variables. Conclusions Caregiving burden may negatively influence circadian health in SCGs, especially rhythm regularity. These findings suggest a potential connection between caregiving stress and some aspects of circadian function, emphasizing the need for further research on caregiver burden and circadian function. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f5059fbed639415e9dffaf34d8889eaa |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1471-2318 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Geriatrics |
| spelling | doaj-art-f5059fbed639415e9dffaf34d8889eaa2025-08-24T11:49:11ZengBMCBMC Geriatrics1471-23182025-08-0125111010.1186/s12877-025-06316-7Relationship between caregiving burden and alterations in circadian rhythms among spousal caregivers of individuals with cognitive impairmentShin Young Park0Jung Been Lee1Taek Lee2Ho Yeong Jeong3Sang Yoon Kim4So Yeon Jeon5Department of Psychiatry, Chungnam National University HospitalDivision of Computer Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Sunmoon UniversityDivision of Computer Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Sunmoon UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry, Chungnam National University HospitalDepartment of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang HospitalDepartment of Psychiatry, Seoul Metropolitan Government Seoul National University (SMG-SNU) Boramae Medical CenterAbstract Background Caring for individuals with cognitive impairment is demanding and may impact caregiver well-being. This study examined whether caregiving burden is linked to alterations in circadian rhythm of spousal caregivers (SCGs), using both objective and subjective measures. Methods A total of 104 SCGs were enrolled, of which 54 wore Fitbit devices to collect objective data on sleep-wake cycles and circadian heart rate rhythm (CHR). Subjective sleep quality was evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between caregiving burden, as measured by the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), and circadian rhythm variables. Results Higher caregiving burden was related to lower goodness of fit (β = − 0.306, t = − 2.144, p = 0.037) and greater subjective sleep disturbance (β = 0.203, t = 2.021, p = 0.046). Although not statistically significant, a trend toward earlier awakening was observed as the caregiving burden increased, particularly in the SCG of individuals with dementia. No significant associations were found for other variables. Conclusions Caregiving burden may negatively influence circadian health in SCGs, especially rhythm regularity. These findings suggest a potential connection between caregiving stress and some aspects of circadian function, emphasizing the need for further research on caregiver burden and circadian function.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-025-06316-7Caregiving burdenCircadian rhythms of heart rateSleep-wake cycleSpousal caregiver |
| spellingShingle | Shin Young Park Jung Been Lee Taek Lee Ho Yeong Jeong Sang Yoon Kim So Yeon Jeon Relationship between caregiving burden and alterations in circadian rhythms among spousal caregivers of individuals with cognitive impairment BMC Geriatrics Caregiving burden Circadian rhythms of heart rate Sleep-wake cycle Spousal caregiver |
| title | Relationship between caregiving burden and alterations in circadian rhythms among spousal caregivers of individuals with cognitive impairment |
| title_full | Relationship between caregiving burden and alterations in circadian rhythms among spousal caregivers of individuals with cognitive impairment |
| title_fullStr | Relationship between caregiving burden and alterations in circadian rhythms among spousal caregivers of individuals with cognitive impairment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Relationship between caregiving burden and alterations in circadian rhythms among spousal caregivers of individuals with cognitive impairment |
| title_short | Relationship between caregiving burden and alterations in circadian rhythms among spousal caregivers of individuals with cognitive impairment |
| title_sort | relationship between caregiving burden and alterations in circadian rhythms among spousal caregivers of individuals with cognitive impairment |
| topic | Caregiving burden Circadian rhythms of heart rate Sleep-wake cycle Spousal caregiver |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-025-06316-7 |
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