Chronic Sleep Irregularity Is Common, Persistent, and Associated With Poorer Sleep Health

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Sleep Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Sleep irregularity is linked to adverse health outcomes like hypertension.
• Previous studies had short sleep monitoring periods, limiting understanding of long-term effects.
• The persistence and cumulative impact of irregular sleep require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the chronic, cumulative effects of irregular sleep on sleep health and blood pressure.
• To assess the persistence of irregular sleep patterns over time.
• To identify the association between chronic sleep irregularity and hypertension.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of approximately 20 months of under-mattress sleep sensor data from 95,819 global participants.
• Classification of sleep data as 'irregular' based on sleep duration variability (≥90 min) and sleep midpoint variability (≥60 min).
• Comparison of sleep health and hypertension prevalence between participants with chronic irregular sleep and regular sleep patterns.

Main Results:

• Approximately 20% of person-months were classified as irregular.
• Chronic irregular sleep was associated with 8% lower sleep efficiency and 40 min more wake after sleep onset.
• Individuals with chronic irregular sleep had a 46% higher odds of hypertension and persistent irregular patterns (>80% likelihood of continuation).

Conclusions:

• Chronic sleep irregularity is common and persistent, negatively affecting sleep quality.
• Irregular sleep patterns are significantly associated with elevated blood pressure and increased hypertension risk.
• Interventions promoting consistent sleep are crucial for cardiovascular health.