The Influence of Sleep Status on Urinary Adrenaline, Noradrenaline, and Cortisol Levels in Women

Abstract

Introduction: Postpartum depression, which occurs at high rates (10%-20%) in Japan, needs to be detected and treated early. An understanding of confounding factors is critical for determining early detection biomarkers of postpartum depression. This study examined urinary biomarkers and sleep status in women. Methods: About forty non-pregnant women in their 20s and 30s were surveyed for the previous day’s sleep status (hours slept, awakening time, falling asleep time and feeling of sleeping well) and urinary adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol levels. Results: Hours slept and urinary noradrenaline and cortisol levels did not correlate. Urinary adrenaline levels correlated negatively with hours slept. For falling asleep time, urinary cortisol levels differed significantly between the groups that went to sleep "before 12 p.m." and "after 12 p.m." Similarly, for awakening time, urinary cortisol levels differed significantly between the groups that woke up "before 8 a.m." and "after 8 a.m." In the comparison of the group that felt they slept well and the group that felt they had not slept well, only urinary adrenaline levels differed significantly. Conclusion: Urinary adrenaline correlated with shortened sleep times and feeling of sleeping well, while urinary cortisol correlated with falling asleep time and awakening time differences.