Sleep Quality and Cardiovascular Health
Summary
Sleep quality encompasses both the duration and restorative nature of sleep and has emerged as a pivotal determinant of cardiovascular well-being. Poor sleep, whether through fragmented nocturnal rest, short duration or undiagnosed breathing disturbances, promotes autonomic imbalance, systemic inflammation, endothelial dysfunction and metabolic dysregulation. Collectively, these pathways accelerate atherosclerosis, elevate blood pressure and impair myocardial resilience. Conversely, sufficient, uninterrupted sleep supports parasympathetic dominance, attenuates stress hormone release and facilitates vascular repair.
The global burden of cardiovascular disease, already the leading cause of death worldwide, is compounded by widespread sleep deficiency. Recognition of sleep quality as a modifiable risk factor has spurred interest in screening, behavioural interventions and personalised therapies. Addressing sleep disturbances through targeted lifestyle change, optimised sleep hygiene and, where appropriate, respiratory support may offer a cost-effective avenue for primary and secondary prevention of coronary events, heart failure progression and arrhythmic complications.
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Sleep Quality and Cardiovascular Health publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in sleep quality and cardiovascular health across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Sleep quality: A composite measure of sleep duration, continuity and subjective restfulness.
Sleep duration: Total time spent asleep per night, often categorised as short (<6 hours), normal (6–8 hours) or long (>8 hours).
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI): A self-rated questionnaire assessing seven dimensions of sleep over a one-month interval.
Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE): A composite endpoint typically including cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke and urgent revascularisation.
Sleep-disordered breathing: Intermittent airway collapse during sleep causing apnoea or hypopnoea and leading to nocturnal hypoxia and arousal.
References
- Sleep disturbance after acute coronary syndrome: A longitudinal study over 12 months. PLOS ONE (2022).
- Sleep Quality, Sleep Duration, and the Risk of Adverse Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Myocardial Infarction With Non-obstructive Coronary Arteries. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine (2022).
- The relationship between sleep quality and physical activity among patients with heart failure: a cross-sectional study. BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation (2022).
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