Difficult hours
Commenting on the study, Christopher W. Drapeau, PhD, of the department of education, Valparaiso University, Indiana, said that sleep disturbances “may be a modifiable risk factor for suicide, especially when sleep disturbances are cited by patients as a primary reason for wanting to attempt suicide.”
Dr. Drapeau, who was not involved in the study, said that this “presents an area for health professionals to focus on when developing treatment approaches based on patient information collected during suicide-risk screenings and comprehensive risk assessments.”
Also commenting on the study, Michael Nadorff, PhD, of the department of psychology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, who was not involved with the study, said the study findings are clinically relevant.
These data, he said, inform clinicians about when patients are most likely to be struggling with suicide intent and offer an opportunity to develop safety plans to mitigate suicide risk during these “difficult hours” when coping mechanisms are at a low ebb and sources of support are unavailable.
Support for the study was provided by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Veterans Administration. Mr. Tubbs and Dr. Drapeau, and Dr. Nadorff report no relevant financial relationships.
This article first appeared on Medscape.com.