Ecologically Assessed Sleep Duration and Pulse Wave Velocity in Young Adult African Americans

To investigate the association between arterial stiffness and sleep duration in young African American adults in an ecologically valid context.

This study included 68 young adults (ages 18 to 35) who identified as African American. The average age of the sample was 28.4.±4.3 years and 38 (53.5%) were men. The average body mass index was in the healthy range and average insomnia severity was mild. Sleep was measured using actigraphy, and the time of lights out and awakenings were assessed using digital devices in participants' habitual environments. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) and central systolic pressure (CSP) were measured using the SphygmoCor CVO system in participants' homes in the morning, close to awakening from the last assessed sleep period.

PWV was significantly negatively correlated with total sleep time ( r =-0.26, p =.04); whereas CSP was correlated with age ( r =0.33, p =.003) and BMI ( r =0.28, p =.01) but not with any sleep measures. The results of a regression model indicated that the effect of total sleep time on PWV was accounted for by the males in the sample.

Our results are consistent with a recent finding utilizing central augmentation indices during sleep regarding a relationship between sleep duration and arterial elasticity; however, we found the opposite relationship to gender. Replication and extension of these findings would add to the support for recognizing sleep duration as a modifiable risk factor for improving CV health.