The association of cardiometabolic disorders with sleep duration: a cross-sectional study

Alterations in sleep duration and quality are linked to the development of cardiovascular risk factors and the metabolic syndrome (MetS). The aim of this study was to determine a sex stratified analysis on the role and associations of sleep duration on cardiometabolic risk factors, and the MetS.

Data from 1375 randomly selected participants (15-64 years) was collected for demographic, anthropometric, blood pressure and biochemistry data after overnight fasting, and derangements diagnosed according to published guidelines. Analysis of association between the MetS (harmonised criteria modified for South Asians), sleep duration (self-reported for a 24-hour period), and cardiometabolic risk factors was done using stepwise logistic regression.

The BMI, waist circumference (WC), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein were higher (p< 0.05) in subjects who slept <6 hours, with lower HDL. Under 6 hours of sleep was independently associated with raised FPG in men (OR 1.71 95% CI [1.53,5.52]) only. More than 10 hours of sleep was independently associated with increased triglyceride levels in men (1.72[0.56, 5.23]) and women (2.25[1.93,5.42]).

The individual components of the Mets, particularly, increased triglycerides and blood glucose are associated with sleep deprivation or excess.