The effect of anxiety levels on attentional networks in high-altitude
migrants: the role of sleep quality and haemoglobin concentration
Abstract
To explore the effect of anxiety levels on attentional networks in high
altitude migrants and to verify the mediating and moderating role of
sleep quality and haemoglobin concentration(HGB). One hundred and forty
high altitude transplants living on the plateau for two years were
selected and anxiety levels were captured by the SCL-90 questionnaire,
behavioural data by the ANT experimental procedure, sleep quality by the
Pittsburgh Sleepiness Index and HGB by means of venous blood sampling.
The results revealed a significant difference between the high and low
anxiety groups in the attentional executive network and no difference in
the alertness and orientation networks; a difference in sleep quality
between the high and normal HGB groups.Sleep quality was fully mediated
between anxiety level and attentional executive network, accounting for
45% of the total effect; sleep quality and HGB were moderated mediation
between anxiety level and attentional executive network (β = 0.19, t =
2.03, p < 0.05), and only for individuals with high HGB did
the sleep quality of individuals with high anxiety levels differ from
that of individuals with low anxiety levels. It was only for individuals
with high HGB that differences existed. It is concluded that as anxiety
levels increase, this affects the sleep quality of high altitude
migrants and thus their attentional network efficiency, and that as HGB
increase, this alleviates the poor sleep quality of high altitude
migrants with increased anxiety levels and thus improves their
attentional network efficiency.