Impact of Sleep Duration and Depressive Symptoms on Cognitive Function and Its Implications for Elderly Productivity in Indonesia

Abstract

Cognitive decline among the elderly population is a health and economic challenge amid population ageing in Indonesia. This study aims to analyze the effect of sleep duration, sleep quality, and depressive symptoms on cognitive function among the elderly, as well as its implications for productivity. The analysis uses Poisson regression with robust standard errors, followed by Propensity Score Matching (PSM) to reduce potential selection bias between groups. The results show that long sleep duration is the main finding, as it is negatively and consistently associated with elderly cognitive function. This indicates that excessively long sleep may serve as a risk signal for cognitive decline in later life. Meanwhile, sleep quality and depressive symptoms show theoretically consistent directions, but their effects are no longer statistically significant after matching. Economically, cognitive decline may reduce elderly productivity through lower work capacity, independence, and potential income. These findings emphasize that sleep patterns and mental health among the elderly should be understood as important factors in maintaining the productivity of the ageing population in Indonesia.