Poor Sleep Linked to Additional Years of Poor Heart Health

Poor sleep may increase the risk of heart disease and premature death by two to seven years, according to a recent study. The researchers analyzed data from more than 300,000 middle-aged adults (mean age, 56) participating in the UK Biobank and found that different sleep disturbances were associated with different durations of compromised heart health in later life.

During a mean follow-up of 11.8 years, men with clinical sleep-related breathing disorders lost nearly seven years of cardiovascular disease (CVD)-free life compared to those without these conditions, and women lost over seven years. Even general poor sleep – e.g., insufficient sleep, insomnia complaints, snoring, going to bed late, and daytime sleepiness – was associated with a loss of around two years of normal heart health in men and women.

Overall, the researchers observed a gradual loss in CVD-free life expectancy with poor sleep. For example, compared with healthy sleepers, female poor sleepers lost 1.80 CVD-free years while men lost 2.31; intermediate sleepers lost 0.48 and 0.55 years, respectively. 

More specifically, men with insomnia lost 3.84 years of CVD-free life and those with sleep-related breathing disorders, including sleep apnea, lost 6.73 years. Among women, sleep-related breathing disorders were associated with 7.32 years lost.

For the study, the researchers grouped participants at baseline into poor, intermediate, and healthy sleepers at age 40 based on a composite sleep score that included self-reported sleep duration, insomnia complaints, snoring, daytime sleepiness, and whether the person was a night owl or an early bird. They combined the self-reported data with clinical data from physicians provided in the two years preceding the study, and compared health outcomes during the follow-up period.

The findings highlight the impact of poor sleep on cardiovascular health and emphasize the need for sleep to be recognized as a pillar of good health in public health policy, along with physical activity and nutrition, according to the authors. They urge increased awareness and recognition of the importance of sleep in promoting cardiovascular health and overall well-being.