Study objectives: Clinical and population health recommendations are derived from studies that include self-report. Differences in question wording and response scales may significantly affect responses. We conducted a methodological review assessing variation in event definition(s), context (i.e., work- versus free-day), and timeframe (e.g., "in the past 4 weeks") of sleep timing/duration questions.
Methods: We queried databases of sleep, medicine, epidemiology, and psychology for survey-based studies and/or publications with sleep duration/timing questions. The text of these questions was thematically analyzed.
Results: We identified 53 surveys with sample sizes ranging from 93 to 1,185,106. For sleep duration, participants reported nocturnal sleep (24/44), sleep in the past 24-hours (14/44), their major sleep episode (3/44), or answered unaided (3/44). For bedtime, participants reported time into bed (19/47), first attempt to sleep (16/40), or fall-asleep time (12/47). For wake-time, participants reported wake-up time (30/43), the time they "get up" (7/43), or their out-of-bed time (6/43). Context guidance appeared in 18/44 major sleep duration, 35/47 bedtime, and 34/43 wake-time questions. Timeframe was provided in 8/44 major sleep episode duration, 16/47 bedtime, and 10/43 wake-time questions. One question queried the method of awakening (e.g., by alarm clock), 18 questions assessed sleep latency, and 12 measured napping.
Conclusion: There is variability in the event definition(s), context, and timeframe of questions relating to sleep. This work informs efforts at data harmonization for meta-analyses, provides options for question wording, and identifies questions for future surveys.
Keywords: Sleep research; circadian rhythm; research methods; sleep assessment; survey research.