A new study published in PLOS Biology has revealed that sleep quality and patterns are not one-size-fits-all — researchers have identified five distinct sleep-biopsychosocial profiles, each linked to unique brain connectivity signatures and different mental and physical health traits.
Using data from 770 healthy adults aged 22 to 36 drawn from the WU-Minn Human Connectome Project (HCP), the team combined self-reported sleep measures (duration, satisfaction, disturbances, medication use) with lifestyle, cognitive, and health data — along with MRI brain imaging — to uncover how sleep profiles map to broader health outcomes.
The five sleep profiles and their health links
Poor Sleep (Profile 1):
Low sleep satisfaction, long time to fall asleep, frequent disturbances, and daytime impairments. Associated with depression, anxiety, somatic complaints, and stress.
Sleep Resilience (Profile 2):
High daytime impairment without self-reported sleep difficulties. Linked to attentional issues (e.g., inattention, low conscientiousness), stress, and internalizing behaviors.
Sleep Medication (Profile 3):
Characterised by use of sleep aids. This profile is linked to poorer visual episodic memory and emotional recognition, but better satisfaction in social relationships.
Short Duration (Profile 4):
Sleep less than 6–7 hours nightly. Shows associations with slower reaction times, poorer performance in multiple cognitive tasks, lower fluid intelligence, and more aggressive or less agreeable traits.
Sleep Disturbance (Profile 5):
Multiple awakenings, nocturia (waking to urinate), breathing issues, pain or temperature imbalance. Tied to anxiety, poorer cognition, internalizing problems, and substance use.
Each of these profiles showed distinct brain network connectivity patterns, particularly involving motor, visual, and sensorimotor systems, reinforcing that how you sleep may reflect deeper neural traits.
Why this matters — and what to do
According to co-author Valeria Kebets, PhD, the key takeaway is that sleep is multidimensional: different aspects (duration, disturbance, medication usage) relate differently to mental health, cognition, and brain wiring.
Because the study used healthy adults without psychiatric diagnoses, these profiles might serve as early markers for vulnerability to future mental or physical health issues — paving the way for personalised sleep and mental health interventions.
To support better sleep health, experts recommend:
- Maintain a regular sleep schedule (go to bed and wake up at consistent times)
- Limit screen time and stimulating activities in the hour before bed
- Avoid heavy meals, caffeine or alcohol close to bedtime
- Exercise regularly, but not too close to bedtime
- Create a sleep-friendly environment — cool, dark, quiet, and comfortable
- Talk to your doctor if you notice persistent problems with falling asleep, waking frequently, or nonrestorative sleep
“Sleep is central to your daily functioning — your mental health, your ability to think, your mood and behaviour,” Kebets emphasizes. She encourages people to speak up about sleep complaints (long latency, frequent awakenings, short duration) to receive tailored intervention.
As this research underscores, understanding your sleep profile may help reveal hidden links between your rest, mood, cognition, and brain wiring — and may guide more precise strategies to support your health.
