Researchers combined data from multiple case-control studies to look at sleep in people with schizoaffective disorder who were not taking medication. The group included 67 patients with schizoaffective disorder, along with 88 patients with schizophrenia, 79 healthy controls, and 131 patients with depression. Scientists measured various sleep parameters to compare how rest patterns differed between these groups.
The analysis revealed several clear differences in sleep quality. People with schizoaffective disorder had less total sleep time and spent more time awake than healthy individuals. They also experienced longer delays before falling asleep and had reduced time in deep sleep stages compared to controls. Additionally, the time spent in REM sleep was lower, and the time it took to enter REM sleep was shorter.
One finding showed a non-significant trend toward increased REM density compared to patients with schizophrenia, but this result was not statistically certain. No safety concerns or adverse events were reported in this review. Readers should understand that because this was a meta-analysis of observational studies, it shows links between the disorder and sleep patterns but cannot prove cause and effect. These findings highlight the need for further research to understand the full impact of schizoaffective disorder on sleep.