0391 Racial/Ethnic Differences in Psychedelic Use and Sleep Satisfaction: Preliminary Findings from the Herbal Heart Study
Denise C. Vidot, Amrit Baral, Bria-Necole Diggs, Ranya Marrakchi El Fellah, Kylee Krivijanski, Albert Garcia‐romeu, Winston de la Haye, Clarence E Locklear, Girardin Jean‐louis
Sleep May 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsaf090.0391 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cross-sectional study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 200 |
| Population | 18-to-35-year-olds enrolled in the Herbal Heart Study |
| Keywords | Ethnic group Sleep system call Clinical psychology Polysomnography Gerontology Electroencephalography |
| Key findings | Among Hispanic/Latino young adults, lifetime psychedelic use was associated with higher odds of sleep dissatisfaction and satisfaction relative to neutral sleep satisfaction, while no such associations were found in other racial/ethnic groups. |
Abstract
Abstract Introduction Research on psychedelic use and sleep satisfaction remains unclear despite increased use. This study examines the psychedelic use and sleep satisfaction among 18-to-35-year-olds enrolled in the Herbal Heart Study.
Methods: The exposure variables were lifetime self-reported use of any psychedelic (LSD, psilocybin, peyote, mescaline, ayahuasca/DMT) and psilocybin-alone. Sleep satisfaction was assessed via the WHO Quality of Life, “How satisfied are you with your sleep” (satisfied, dissatisfied, or neutral). Chi-squared tests compared psychedelic use across sleep satisfaction categories. Multinomial logistic regression adjusted for demographics, cannabis history, anxiety, and depression assessed associations between psychedelics and sleep satisfaction using “neutral” as the reference.
Results: Of the sample (N=200; mean age: 25.2 years, SD = 4.8), 65% were female, 54.5% identified as Hispanic/Latino, 18.5% non-Hispanic White (NHW), 17.5% non-Hispanic Black (NHB). Psychedelic use was reported by 39.5% of participants (49.5% Hispanics/Latinos, 21.6% NHW, 25.1% NHB, 42.1% Other p< 0.01); 32.8% of participants reported psilocybin use (40.8% Hispanics/Latinos, 19.4% NHW, 18.7% NHB, 28.9% Other; p=0.03). Overall, 54.5% of participants were satisfied with sleep, 23.0% were dissatisfied, and 22.5% neutral. No differences in sleep satisfaction were observed in the overall sample; however, race/ethnic differences emerged. Among Hispanics/Latinos, 33.9% of psychedelic consumers reported sleep dissatisfaction vs 17.2% of non-consumers (p=0.03). Similarly, 41.9% of Hispanic/Latino psilocybin-alone users reported sleep dissatisfaction vs 15.6% of non-consumers (p=0.005). Hispanic/Latino psychedelic consumers had higher odds of sleep dissatisfaction (AOR: 4.4; 95% CI: 1.1-18.1) and satisfaction (AOR: 4.4; 95% CI: 1.2-14.7) compared to being neutral. Psilocybin-alone consumers had higher odds of sleep dissatisfaction (AOR: 9.2; 95% CI: 1.9-43.9) than non-consumers. There were no associations among NHW/NHB/Other groups.
Conclusion: Findings indicate a complex association between psychedelic use and sleep satisfaction, particularly among Hispanics/Latinos. Further research should investigate underlying mechanisms, cultural, and bio-physiological factors that may mediate the association between psychedelic use and sleep satisfaction. Support (if any) R01HL153467;T37MD008647;T32HL166609