Assessment of sleep disturbances and related factors among patients attending a psychiatric outpatient clinic

Aim: The aim of this study is to identify sleep complaints among patients presenting to the Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic of Selçuk University Faculty of Medicine, to diagnose sleep disorders, to evaluate sleep patterns and sleep hygiene characteristics, to determine circadian preferences, and to examine their relationships with sociodemographic variables. Materials and Methods: The study enrolled voluntary patients aged 18–65 years who presented for the first time to the clinic and were found to have at least one sleep complaint during clinical psychiatric examination. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected using a researcher‑designed form. Psychiatric diagnoses were established with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM‑5 Disorders (SCID‑5). Participants completed the Sleep Complaint List, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Sleep Hygiene Index (SHI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ). All patients were re‑evaluated for sleep disorders according to the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, 3rd Edition (ICSD‑3). Where indicated, additional assessments including sleep diaries, polysomnography, and specialty consultations were performed. Results: A diagnosis of at least one sleep disorder was identified in 76.7% of the sample. When the distribution of sleep disorders was examined, insomnia was observed in 44.5% of participants, sleep related breathing disorders in 3.4%, hypersomnolence in 3.8%, circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders in 10.6%, parasomnias in 6.5%, and sleep-related movement disorders in 8.9%. Among the patients, 81.5% reported difficulty initiating sleep, 70.6% experienced unexplained nighttime awakenings, and 55.1% complained of excessive daytime sleepiness and fatigue. Participants with poor sleep quality had significantly higher scores on the Sleep Hygiene Index compared to those with good sleep quality. Poor sleep quality was also significantly associated with higher scores on both the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Regarding circadian typology, 30.5% of the sample were evening types, 48.3% intermediate types, and 21.2% morning types. Morning-type individuals had significantly lower BDI and BAI scores compared to other chronotypes, while evening-type individuals exhibited poorer sleep hygiene. Conclusion: Sleep disorders are common among patients presenting to psychiatric outpatient clinics. Careful evaluation of patients' sleep complaints and appropriate treatment of sleep disorders are critical for improving mental health outcomes. Key words: Sleep disorders, sleep hygiene, chronotype