Does interoceptive sensibility mediate the relationship between alexithymia and sleep quality?

Sleep is a significant transdiagnostic factor, a lack of which can result in various psychological, cognitive, and physical impacts. Since the presence of alexithymic traits have been linked to both sleep and interoception, and because of evidence revealing bidirectional relationships between interoception and sleep, the current study aimed to examine these intricate connections. Specifically, we investigated (1) the factors influencing interoceptive sensibility (IS) (a component of interoception), and (2) whether IS mediates the relationship between alexithymia and sleep quality. Two-hundred-and-sixty participants completed a cross-sectional survey online. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that alexithymia, positive affect, and negative affect accurately predicted variance in participants’ IS scores. There were significant, negative relationships between alexithymia, sleep quality, and negative affect and IS, and a significant positive relationship between positive affect and IS. Participants’ caffeine consumption, age and sex did not predict variance in IS scores. Finally, IS mediated the relationship between alexithymia and sleep quality in this population. These findings provide insight into the importance of emotional and physiological health within the context of sleep health.