Lack of sleep doubles the risk of death if you have metabolic syndrome, research shows
Do you have high BMI, cholesterol and blood pressure? Better make sure you get your eight hours. Also in the news: China cracks down on unlicenced cosmetic surgery, and men need to open up about sexual and mental health
Not getting enough sleep can double the chances of dying from heart disease or stroke, particularly in people with risk factors such as diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and cholesterol, US researchers said last week.
The findings, reported in the Journal of the American Heart Association, were based on 1,344 adults who were randomly selected for a sleep study in the US state of Pennsylvania. Participants’ average age was 49, and 42 per cent were men.
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They were recruited to undergo a series of health screenings, and spend one night in a sleep laboratory. Just over 39 per cent were found to have at least three risk factors for heart disease, which when clustered together are known as metabolic syndrome. These include a body mass index (BMI) above 30, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, high fasting blood sugar levels and high triglyceride levels.
Participants were followed for an average of 16 years. Some 22 per cent died during that period. Those with metabolic syndrome who slept less than six hours in the lab were 2.1 times more likely to die of heart disease or stroke than those who did not have at least three risk factors for heart disease.
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“The short sleepers with metabolic syndrome were also 1.99 times more likely to die from any cause compared to those without metabolic syndrome,” the study said.