Subjective sleep characteristics as coronary risk factors, their association with Type A behaviour and vital...

A deviant habitual sleep duration, sleep complaints, frequent napping and snoring have all been suggested as potential risk factors for future coronary heart disease. It has not been studied thoroughly, however, whether the association of these phenomena with coronary heart disease is confounded by Type A behaviour or by a state of vital exhaustion. The aim of the present study was to explore the association of the above sleep characteristics with the coronary risk factors, 'Type A behaviour' and 'vital exhaustion' systematically. The results indicated that Type A behaviour was not associated with any of these sleep characteristics, except with frequent waking. Exhausted subjects, however, reported chronic sleep complaints, a short sleep duration and frequent napping significantly more often than vital subjects. Type A behaviour did not confound these associations. The data support the assumption that these sleep characteristics can be considered as potential risk factors for coronary heart disease because of their association with vital exhaustion.